.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and hold of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the largest game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually properly on his technique to coming to be the very best yield professional in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually actually gotten first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl honors due to the time the Bears progressed to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a career- and also league-high 47 puntings along with three leading to goals in 2006. He additionally returned 2 kickoffs for goals and racked up after returning an overlooked basket 108 yards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had plenty of movie to examine as they got ready for Chicago's many risky item. They had found Hester run a punting back 83 gardens for the green light goal to top off a 20-point rebound gain the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same activity to mark first return touchdowns of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece shake inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and chosen to receive, the Colts sent the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 few seconds to run where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 gardens away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD yield of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The frustration from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that draws attention to Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will certainly be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend as the very first player chosen to the Pro Soccer Venue of Prominence first and foremost as a kick returner a player who sparked some of the absolute most famous instants in NFL history.Devin Hester truly began the Super Dish with a home phone call One of the best kick returners ever before switches 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had created a strategic plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' unique teams devices were the absolute most explosive in the organization, the Colts placed 30th in first insurance coverage and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Below is how that strategy eventually yielded to some of one of the most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a harmful offensive group. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, come back, they had the very best special crews system in the NFL. Pub none. And the most effective returner, perhaps in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our team were kicking to the edges, our team are actually bouncing the ball, we're squibbing it, our team're punting higher, or even our team are actually punting out of bounds. We said, 'He's not visiting be actually an aspect. Our experts presume our team can easily control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his come backs for goals were puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three punts and also two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategy was do not punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 backyards, forty five lawns, out of bounds. Sacrifice some range however perform not let him get the sphere in his palms." Our company thought of it the various other means and didn't intend to give up a lot of yardage on first things, thus given that we've acquired a number of our starters in there, let's try to pin him behind-the-scenes and also find if our company may overload that edge and attempt to lessen his yield. We performed that all week long. It wasn't also like our company were actually fretted to kick a touchback. Our experts were actually additional worried about hitting it over in the section, and if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it is actually truly close to the subsidiary, after that our team could possibly make an effort to package him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our company are actually not visiting boot to him. He is actually also unsafe." Days just before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors gave a church solution prior to the video game as well as referred to David and also Goliath and said, 'The explanation David achieved success is he wasn't scared. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I started believing, am I placing worry right into our guys' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our experts can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as any person that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the settle back as well as brought in past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my mind and also mentioned if our team lose the toss, our team're visiting start. Our experts're heading to kick it to him, as well as I want you to decrease and pound him. As well as when we take their champ down, that is actually heading to send out a notification similar to David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our special staffs train, and obviously he claimed our team may deal with, our experts can possibly do this. Our company'll receive him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wants to have their minute. No one wishes to head out certainly there and merely claim, 'Hey, we weren't part of this, or we really did not support.' So it was common, yet by the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or even 3 days prior to the game I rallied the people to convince Train Dungy. I said, 'Our team can easily manage him. Our company'll be alright.' You can tell [Dungy] felt uneasy about doing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique crews planner: "Every game that we possessed, it was constantly a concern of who is actually mosting likely to kick to him, who isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had referred to certainly not booting to him, but our team constantly presumed as a personnel that they were going to kick to our company in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I told all of them Saturday night. I mentioned, 'They are actually mosting likely to boot the sphere right to our team.'" An unpredicted hurricane moved into the Miami place on game day as well as poured nearly one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester and the Bears kickoff yield group trot onto the industry to receive the position zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his self-confidence when he took the field was actually unreal. Our company took a great deal of pleasure in obstructing for him. Special crews had not been a chore. It failed to believe that you were being reprimanded for certainly not being a starter. Any time you tromped the field with him in the gain activity, it resembled, 'Male, our team can easily get it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind viewing all these flashes click when the round is actually being began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the game from the storage locker area really felt surreal. I have actually never experienced anything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were actually Classical candles being shot up and all the embers were coming down in funeral pace. It absolutely possessed me annoyed out. I got to the side project and it resembled, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And after that our experts succeed the piece throw and also our team're obtaining. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I claimed if it uses the end zone, get that ball for him. That's what was in my mind because it was actually never ever performed, had actually certainly never been actually done before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my mind that he would certainly jog a sphere back for a goal. It definitely didn't. I have actually had 2 of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers vast receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he operated it back for a goal. So it took place to me prior to, but at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to take place once more.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Hall of Prominence Video Game in between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been fearful when our experts performed it. I assumed, our experts'll put him in the corner, our company'll attack him inside the 25 and also our team'll really feel decent regarding our own selves. Which's not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that showed up of my mouth [when he viewed the sphere moved his way] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would get to addressing him was actually safety Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches out of Hester, who sped up away from his understanding. The Bears' wedge containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid developed a void for Hester to blast past the very first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo and began sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he did. He eluded everybody each time he performed that. The center of the area was actually gold for Devin. They really did not wish to kick it down the center to Devin, but they apparently were thinking about it too much, and also if you think you are actually beat. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I understood he was actually visiting rating." I always kept referring to him residing in his lawn [on the show] I feel I claimed, 'From Riviera Seaside to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are preposterous.'" Harris: "I remember hitting a fella, it was possibly around the little Super Bowl company logo. I chipped this individual and sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. As well as when I shifted and also I observed he was actually out and all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I said, 'Okay, I've got to go meet him.' So I only took off on a dead sprint due to the fact that I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he surpassed our 1st surge of individuals, then we possess a security on each side as well as me between. I understood I was too far from him. If I might acquire close good enough to him to at least sluggish him down, possibly the search can get to him. However he juked the piss out of me, as well. That is actually the many things about Devin. When he possesses a little bit of space, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually funny since after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much open industry, so I understood ideal at that point as well as there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a circumstance where I was pinned to a subsidiary and possessed the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our experts were in the available industry, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin sought out. I was questioning why he was searching for later on to learn that he was considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as merely tripped him up as well as he detected completion zone for the goal." The Bears' momentum will advance the following travel as they opened up a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took control in the 2nd quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We started the game along with a touchdown and we presumed it was actually mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Truly failed to wind up this way, despite the fact that we emerged and our team acquired a choice right after that, too. Our team presumed we had all kinds of energy at that point and afterwards undoubtedly it ended up moving on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I believe the the main thing regarding that was it was the very first play of the game. That in fact functioned in our benefit considering that if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a difficult thing to bounce back coming from." However our company possessed four one-fourths to recuperate and place that behind our team. Therefore, for our company it was actually sort of like, 'Okay, our company tried. Shame on our team and then our company may keep it relocating right now.' Since eventually, we understood offensively we were actually heading to record much more than seven factors, as well as I knew defensively we were actually heading to keep all of them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is fired up and also thrilled. Currently when they start to our team, their protection is actually mosting likely to be happening a million miles an hour given that the energy is already on their side ... yet the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we understood it wasn't over by any means. Our experts just knew that this is the guy that is going to ravage the ready our company if our experts don't stop that. And certainly merely watching that initial play was actually verification of that. Allow's not kick him another sphere." Gilmore: "They got intelligent and also determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 yields during that activity. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this report.