.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a constant panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Florida for the greatest activity of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was well on his method to coming to be the best return expert in NFL history.The past second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually presently made first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Dish honors by the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- and league-high 47 punts with 3 resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He additionally returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and scored after coming back a skipped field goal 108 backyards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed loads of movie to study as they got ready for Chicago's most risky weapon. They had actually seen Hester manage a punting back 83 yards for the okay touchdown to cover off a 20-point resurgence draw the Cardinals. They observed him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same game to scratch first gain goals of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin throw inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and also chosen to obtain, the Colts delivered the opening first right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 seconds to run from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal, 92 lawns away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD gain of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The setback from a resulting 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little bit of to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will definitely be preserved in Canton this weekend as the first gamer elected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Popularity first and foremost as a kick returner a player who triggered among the absolute most famous instants in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Bowl along with a residence phone call One of the greatest kick returners ever transforms 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 actually put together a tactical plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive groups systems were actually the best explosive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff protection and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Here is how that strategy ultimately accepted among the absolute most thrilling plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a harmful offensive group. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, come back, they had the most ideal special staffs unit in the NFL. Club none. And the very best returner, perhaps in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our team were kicking to the edges, our team are actually jumping the ball, we are actually squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our team're punting out of bounds. Our experts pointed out, 'He's not heading to be a factor. We presume our team can manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for goals were actually puntings, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned three punts and 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the game plan was don't punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 backyards, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Sacrifice some distance yet perform not let him get the ball in his palms." Our company thought about it the other way and failed to would like to sacrifice a lot of yardage on kickoff things, thus because our experts have actually acquired a number of our starters therein, let's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes and view if our team can easily overload that edge and attempt to decrease his profit. Our experts engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't also like our company were actually paniced to boot a touchback. We were actually more interested about attacking it over in the corner, and also if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it is actually actually near to the sideline, at that point our team can try to carton him in a little." Reid: "The strategic plan was we are actually certainly not mosting likely to kick to him. He's as well hazardous." Times prior to the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains gave a church solution just before the video game and talked about David as well as Goliath and also mentioned, 'The factor David succeeded is he had not been scared. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I started believing, am I placing anxiety into our guys' centers? Am I playing this wrong? We can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as any person that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the kick back and created history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind and also mentioned if we drop the shake, our company are actually going to begin. We're mosting likely to kick it to him, and also I want you to drop and extra pound him. As well as when we take their champion down, that's mosting likely to send out an information just like David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique groups trainer, and naturally he claimed we may cover, our experts can do this. Our team'll acquire him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to possess their minute. No person would like to go out there certainly and simply state, 'Hey, our team weren't part of this, or our team didn't assist.' So it was mutual, yet in the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or three times just before the activity I moved the fellas to encourage Train Dungy. I said, 'Our team can easily manage him. We'll be actually fine.' You might inform [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding performing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive crews planner: "Every video game that our company had, it was actually always an inquiry of that is actually mosting likely to boot to him, who isn't heading to kick to him. We knew that they had discussed certainly not booting to him, yet we constantly assumed as a workers that they were going to boot to our company in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Sunday night. I claimed, 'They're going to kick the ball right to our company.'" An unpredicted storm moved in to the Miami area on activity day and disposed nearly one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears kickoff yield crew trot onto the area to get the opening kick just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the area was unreal. Our team took a bunch of pride in blocking for him. Unique teams wasn't a duty. It failed to seem like you were being actually penalized for certainly not being a starter. At any time you stepped on the industry with him in the return video game, it felt like, 'Male, our company can easily get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind finding all these flashes click when the round is actually being kicked off. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Running out to the game from the storage locker space felt unique. I've certainly never felt everything like it. It was like the films. There were actually Classical candle lights being actually shot up and all the embers were boiling down in slow motion. It absolutely possessed me pestered out. I got to the side project as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And after that our team win the piece shake and also our company are actually obtaining. Speak about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I stated if it enters completion region, get that reception for him. That's what resided in my thoughts considering that it was actually never carried out, had never ever been actually performed just before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it certainly never entered my mind that he would dash a round back for a touchdown. It actually failed to. I've possessed two of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers wide receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] as well as he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me before, but at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to happen again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Venue of Prominence Video Game in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's fight, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our experts did it. I presumed, our company'll place him in the edge, our team'll attack him inside the 25 as well as our team'll experience decent regarding ourselves. Which's never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he observed the round headed his method] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as added industry to the 20. The closest a Colts protector will get to tackling him was actually safety Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches away from Hester, that increased out of his understanding. The Bears' block containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid produced a void for Hester to blast past the first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl logo and started sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everyone whenever he did that. The center of the industry was actually gold for Devin. They didn't desire to kick it down the center to Devin, but they seemingly were actually considering it a lot of, and if you presume you are actually defeated. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I knew he was going to credit rating." I kept discussing him remaining in his garden [on the show] I believe I pointed out, 'From Riviera Beach front to the largest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually ludicrous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind hitting a person, it was actually probably around the little bit of Super Bowl logo. I cracked this man as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. And when I reversed and also I saw he was out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I said, 'Okay, I've come to go meet him.' So I just took off on a lifeless sprint considering that I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our 1st wave of guys, then we possess a safety and security on each edge and also me between. I knew I was also far away coming from him. If I could possibly receive close good enough to him to at least sluggish him down, possibly the search could come to him. However he outwited the piss away from me, too. That's the thing about Devin. When he possesses a little bit of space, with that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as failed to touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious due to the fact that after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open industry, so I knew best then as well as there [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a situation where I was pinned to a side project as well as had the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our experts were in the open field, so I recognized he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was pondering why he was looking up eventually to find out that he was examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as merely slipped him up as well as he tumbled into completion zone for the touchdown." The Bears' energy would continue the following drive as they opened a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team started the video game with a goal as well as we assumed it was mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Really didn't wind up by doing this, even though we came out as well as we received a selection right after that, extremely. Our experts thought our team had all sort of momentum at that point and then undoubtedly it found yourself shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I think the a single thing about that was it was actually the initial play of the video game. That actually done work in our advantage given that if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a difficult thing to bounce back from." However our company had 4 fourths to recover and also place that behind our company. Therefore, for our company it was actually sort of like, 'Okay, our experts made an effort. Pity on our team and then our company can easily maintain it relocating currently.' Because ultimately, we understood offensively we were mosting likely to rack up greater than seven points, as well as I knew defensively our team were actually heading to maintain them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is ignited and also thrilled. Currently when they begin to our team, their protection is visiting be actually coming a thousand miles an hour given that the momentum is actually already on their side ... but the fact that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left in the game, we knew it wasn't over by any means. We felt in one's bones that this is the individual that is going to trash the ready our team if our team do not stop that. And also clearly only watching that initial play was actually evidence of that. Permit's certainly not kick him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired wise and made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two returns during that activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this report.