.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Florida for the most significant video game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually properly on his technique to ending up being the best return professional in NFL history.The previous second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had presently gotten first-team All-Pro acknowledgment as well as Pro Dish respects by the time the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- and also league-high 47 punts with 3 causing goals in 2006. He additionally came back two firsts for goals and scored after returning a missed basket 108 yards versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of film to analyze as they got ready for Chicago's many dangerous item. They had found Hester run a punt back 83 backyards for the go-ahead goal to cap off a 20-point rebound gain the Cardinals. They experienced him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same activity to mark first profit goals of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin throw inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to acquire, the Colts sent out the position first right into Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 seconds to dash from where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 backyards away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD return of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The letdown coming from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will certainly be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first gamer elected to the Pro Football Hall of Prominence initially as a kick returner a player that triggered one of the best legendary minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Bowl with a residence phone call Some of the best kick returners ever switches 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually put together a game plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive staffs devices were one of the most eruptive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in first insurance coverage and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Right here is actually how that program eventually yielded to one of the absolute most amazing plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a risky offensive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, return, they had the best exclusive teams device in the NFL. Club none. And also the most ideal returner, most likely in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "We were booting to the edges, we're hopping the round, our team're squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or even our company are actually punting away from bounds. Our experts claimed, 'He's not mosting likely to be actually a factor. Our experts believe we may manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his returns for goals were punts, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three punts as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the tactical plan was do not punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 gardens, forty five backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some range yet do not allow him receive the sphere in his hands." Our experts considered it the various other method and also didn't desire to lose a ton of yardage on first things, therefore since our experts've received a couple of our beginners in there, let's attempt to pin him in a corner and view if our company may overload that edge and attempt to lessen his return. Our experts practiced that all full week long. It wasn't even like our experts were fretted to kick a touchback. Our experts were even more worried about reaching it over in the edge, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it's actually close to the subsidiary, then our company can try to box him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was our company are actually certainly not visiting boot to him. He is actually as well harmful." Days prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors offered a church solution just before the video game and also talked about David and Goliath and stated, 'The factor David was successful is he had not been worried. All the other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I started assuming, am I putting worry into our guys' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? Our team can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as shocked as any person that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the kick back and made record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my mind and stated if our experts shed the shake, our experts are actually mosting likely to begin. Our company are actually going to kick it to him, and I prefer you to go down as well as pound him. And when our team knock their champion down, that's mosting likely to send out a message much like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our special staffs coach, and also naturally he mentioned we can easily deal with, our experts may do this. Our team'll get him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to have their minute. Nobody wants to walk out there and merely mention, 'Hey, our company weren't aspect of this, or even our company really did not support.' So it was actually reciprocal, however in the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Two or three days before the video game I rallied the fellas to encourage Train Dungy. I claimed, 'We can handle him. Our team'll be actually fine.' You might say to [Dungy] felt uneasy about performing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique crews planner: "Every activity that we had, it was actually consistently an inquiry of that is actually going to kick to him, who isn't visiting boot to him. We understood that they had actually referred to certainly not booting to him, but we regularly supposed as a personnel that they were actually heading to kick to us in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I told them Sunday evening. I stated, 'They're visiting kick the ball right to us.'" An unexpected tornado relocated right into the Miami region on activity day and also discarded virtually one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A group of 74,512 enjoyed Hester and the Bears kickoff yield group trot onto the field to receive the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his peace of mind when he took the field was actually unbelievable. Our team took a considerable amount of pleasure in obstructing for him. Special staffs wasn't a job. It didn't think that you were being actually reprimanded for certainly not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the area with him in the profit game, it felt like, 'Guy, our experts may take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I always remember seeing all these flashes click when the round is actually being began. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity coming from the locker space felt unique. I've certainly never really felt anything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were actually Classical candlesticks being actually shot up and all the coal were boiling down in slow mo. It totally had me bugged out. I reached the subsidiary and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And after that we succeed the piece throw as well as we're getting. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I claimed if it uses completion area, acquire that reception for him. That's what was in my mind due to the fact that it was actually certainly never performed, had certainly never been performed just before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my mind that he will jog a sphere back for a goal. It definitely didn't. I have actually possessed 2 of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Veggie Gulf Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he functioned it back for a goal. So it occurred to me just before, yet at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually visiting occur again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been horrendous when our experts did it. I thought, our company'll place him in the edge, we'll confront him inside the 25 and also we'll feel decent about our own selves. And that is actually never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he viewed the ball headed his means] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also ran up area to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would reach handling him was actually safety Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins away from Hester, that accelerated off of his comprehension. The Bears' wedge containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a space for Hester to blast past the very first surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo design and started dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He outran everybody whenever he did that. The middle of the field was golden for Devin. They failed to want to boot it down the center to Devin, but they seemingly were actually considering it a lot of, as well as if you presume you're defeated. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I understood he was actually heading to score." I always kept talking about him residing in his garden [on the program] I believe I pointed out, 'From Riviera Seaside to the most significant phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I always remember striking a person, it was most likely around the little Super Dish company logo. I damaged this guy as well as type of saw [Devin] showing off through. And when I reversed and I saw he was out and all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I said, 'Okay, I have actually come to go fulfill him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint since I understood he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our first wave of guys, then we possess a safety on each side and also me in between. I knew I was actually as well distant coming from him. If I might acquire close sufficient to him to at the very least slow-moving him down, possibly the pursuit could get to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, too. That is actually things concerning Devin. When he has a little of area, with that said sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 gardens for a touchdown with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and also failed to touch him whatsoever, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually comical considering that after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was way too much available industry, so I knew correct after that and there certainly [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a circumstance where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary and also had the subsidiary antagonizing me. We were in the available field, so I knew he had not been going to acquire me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin found. I was thinking about why he was actually finding later on to know that he was actually considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also simply slipped him up and he detected the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' drive will continue on the upcoming travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the second part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team started the video game with a goal as well as our experts thought it was heading to be an ass-whipping. Actually didn't find yourself that way, despite the fact that our experts showed up and also our team obtained a selection right afterwards, extremely. Our experts believed we possessed all kinds of momentum at that point and after that certainly it found yourself shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I presume the something concerning that was it was actually the 1st play of the game. That actually done work in our advantage given that if it was anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a hard thing to recover coming from." Yet our company had 4 quarters to recuperate as well as put that behind our team. Therefore, for our team it was kind of like, 'All right, our team made an effort. Embarassment on our team and then we can easily keep it relocating now.' Due to the fact that in the long run, we knew offensively our team were mosting likely to rack up much more than 7 aspects, and also I understood defensively we were going to keep all of them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is actually fired up and also excited. Currently when they kick off to our team, their self defense is heading to be coming a million miles a hr considering that the energy is actually actually on their side ... but the truth that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. Our company felt in one's bones that this is the fella that will definitely trash the ready our team if our company don't protect against that. And also definitely just enjoying that very first play was actually verification of that. Permit's not kick him one more sphere." Gilmore: "They received smart and also decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 yields during that game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this record.