.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a constant panelist on Around the Horn as well as host of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Florida for the largest game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was properly on his means to ending up being the greatest return expert in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually made first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Bowl honors by the opportunity the Bears advanced to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and also league-high 47 puntings along with 3 resulting in goals in 2006. He likewise came back pair of firsts for touchdowns and also scored after coming back a missed field goal 108 lawns versus the New york city Giants.The Colts had lots of movie to analyze as they organized Chicago's a lot of hazardous tool. They had found Hester operate a punt back 83 yards for the green light goal to top off a 20-point resurgence win over the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same activity to scratch kickoff profit goals of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also elected to acquire, the Colts sent out the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 secs to run where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 lawns away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD profit of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The setback coming from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will definitely be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the first gamer chosen to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Fame primarily as a kick returner a gamer that triggered among one of the most famous moments in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Dish with a property telephone call Among the best zing returners ever switches 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually produced a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive staffs devices were the best eruptive in the game, the Colts rated 30th in first insurance coverage and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Right here is just how that planning ultimately accepted among the absolute most amazing plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a harmful aggressive team. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, come back, they possessed the most ideal special teams system in the NFL. Pub none. And also the best returner, most likely in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our experts were actually kicking to the edges, our company're bouncing the sphere, our experts're squibbing it, our experts're punting higher, or even our experts're punting away from bounds. Our company stated, 'He's certainly not going to be actually a factor. Our company believe our company can easily regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his come backs for goals were punts, not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings as well as two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the strategic plan was do not punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, forty five backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some distance however carry out not let him get the ball in his palms." Our company dealt with it the various other method as well as didn't wish to compromise a ton of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore considering that our experts've received a number of our beginners therein, allow's try to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as see if our team can overload that side and attempt to decrease his gain. We practiced that all week long. It had not been also like our team were actually fretted to kick a touchback. Our team were actually even more concerned regarding striking it over in the corner, and if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard line but it's truly near to the side project, at that point our company can make an effort to container him in a small amount." Reid: "The tactical plan was we are actually certainly not going to kick to him. He's as well dangerous." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains gave a chapel company prior to the activity and referred to David and Giant as well as claimed, 'The main reason David was successful is he had not been scared. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I started presuming, am I placing worry right into our guys' souls? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our company can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as surprised as any individual that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the settle back as well as created past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my mind and mentioned if our experts shed the throw, our team are actually heading to start. We are actually visiting kick it to him, as well as I prefer you to drop as well as pound him. And also when we take their champion down, that's heading to deliver an information just like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique crews trainer, and also naturally he stated our experts can cover, our experts can do this. We'll acquire him in the Super Dish. Everyone would like to have their instant. No one wishes to go out certainly there and simply mention, 'Hey, our team weren't aspect of this, or our team really did not contribute.' So it was common, but at the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or even 3 days just before the game I moved the men to encourage Train Dungy. I stated, 'We may handle him. Our company'll be actually alright.' You could inform [Dungy] worried concerning performing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears special teams planner: "Every activity that we had, it was regularly a concern of that is actually going to boot to him, who isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had actually talked about certainly not booting to him, but our team always assumed as a personnel that they were actually visiting kick to our company in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Saturday night. I stated, 'They're heading to kick the ball right to us.'" An unanticipated storm relocated right into the Miami area on activity time and also discarded almost one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 enjoyed Hester and the Bears kickoff return staff trot onto the field to receive the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his confidence when he took the field was actually unbelievable. We took a considerable amount of honor in blocking for him. Unique groups had not been a chore. It didn't believe that you were actually being actually penalized for not being actually a starter. At any time you tromped the area along with him in the yield game, it felt like, 'Man, our company can take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I remember viewing all these flashes click on when the sphere is being began. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity from the closet area experienced unique. I've never really felt everything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were Roman candle lights being actually shot up plus all the coal were actually boiling down in slow motion. It entirely possessed me annoyed out. I got to the sideline and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And afterwards we gain the piece throw and also our experts're obtaining. Refer to an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I pointed out if it goes in completion region, receive that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts due to the fact that it was never ever done, had actually never been actually performed prior to." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my mind that he would dash a ball back for a goal. It actually failed to. I've had two of all of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Veggie Bay Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he ran it back for a goal. So it happened to me just before, yet at no opportunity was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Venue of Popularity Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's fight, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been horrendous when our company did it. I thought, our team'll put him in the corner, our team'll attack him inside the 25 as well as our team'll really feel decent concerning our own selves. Which's absolutely not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my mouth [when he found the sphere headed his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender will get to addressing him was actually protection Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches far from Hester, who increased away from his understanding. The Bears' block containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid generated a void for Hester to blow past the initial wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish company logo and also began running 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 did. He beat everybody whenever he carried out that. The center of the industry was actually gold for Devin. They really did not desire to kick it down the center to Devin, yet they relatively were dealing with it excessive, and if you believe you are actually trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the area, I understood he was heading to rating." I always kept discussing him being in his lawn [on the broadcast] I feel I claimed, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the greatest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ridiculous.'" Harris: "I remember striking a man, it was probably around the little bit of Super Dish company logo. I nicked this person and also sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. And also when I shifted and I saw he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I've come to go satisfy him.' So I only removed on a dead sprint because I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our 1st wave of individuals, after that our experts possess a security on each side and also me in between. I understood I was actually also distant from him. If I might receive close good enough to him to at the very least slow him down, perhaps the pursuit can get to him. But he outwited the piss away from me, too. That's things concerning Devin. When he has a little bit of area, with that said dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 gardens for a goal with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and also failed to touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious since after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive open industry, so I recognized appropriate at that point and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a condition where I was actually pinned to a side project and also possessed the sideline antagonizing me. We resided in the open industry, so I recognized he had not been going to acquire me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin searched for. I was actually wondering why he was actually finding eventually to discover that he was examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also only tripped him up and also he detected completion area for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will continue on the upcoming ride as they opened a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took control in the 2nd region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the video game with a touchdown and also our experts presumed it was actually going to be an ass-whipping. Truly failed to end up by doing this, even though our experts visited and also we acquired a selection right afterwards, extremely. Our team assumed our experts had all sort of drive then and then obviously it found yourself moving on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I presume the a single thing concerning that was it was the initial play of the activity. That in fact worked in our benefit since if it was actually anything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a tough thing to bounce back coming from." Yet our experts had 4 one-fourths to recoup as well as put that responsible for us. Therefore, for our company it was sort of like, 'Okay, our experts attempted. Embarassment on us and then our team can easily maintain it relocating right now.' Since ultimately, we knew offensively our team were mosting likely to count greater than seven factors, and also I knew defensively our company were actually mosting likely to keep them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is ignited as well as thrilled. Right now when they kick off to our team, their protection is going to be coming a thousand miles a hr because the momentum is currently on their edge ... but the truth that there was still 59 1/2 moments left in the game, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our experts just knew that this is the guy that is going to ravage the ready our team if our experts do not protect against that. As well as definitely only watching that first play was actually verification of that. Let's not kick him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired smart as well as chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I had two gains in that activity. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner resulted in this record.