.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings just before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and hold of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Florida for the largest game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was effectively on his means to ending up being the best gain specialist in NFL history.The former second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually gained first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Bowl tributes due to the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- as well as league-high 47 puntings with 3 leading to goals in 2006. He also returned pair of firsts for goals and also scored after coming back a missed out on basket 108 backyards versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of movie to study as they prepared for Chicago's many hazardous item. They had actually found Hester manage a punting back 83 gardens for the permission goal to cover off a 20-point revival win over the Cardinals. They observed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same video game to scratch kickoff profit goals of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin shake inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as elected to acquire, the Colts sent the opening first right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 few seconds to sprint from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal line, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD gain of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The frustration coming from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will definitely be preserved in Canton this weekend as the initial gamer selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Fame initially as a kick returner a gamer that stimulated one of one of the most iconic instants in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Dish along with a property call Some of the best kick returners ever before transforms 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For 2 full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually created a strategic plan for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' special groups devices were one of the most explosive in the game, the Colts placed 30th in first coverage and 32nd in punt protection. Listed here is exactly how that strategy inevitably yielded to some of the absolute most exciting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a dangerous offensive staff. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, return, they had the very best unique staffs unit in the NFL. Bar none. And also the most ideal returner, perhaps in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "We were actually kicking to the corners, our company are actually bouncing the round, our company are actually squibbing it, our company are actually punting higher, or even we're punting out of bounds. Our team pointed out, 'He is actually not visiting be an aspect. Our company assume our experts can easily manage their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his come backs for goals were actually puntings, not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back 3 puntings and also 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the game plan was do not punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, forty five backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some range but perform certainly not let him acquire the sphere in his hands." We considered it the other means and also failed to intend to sacrifice a ton of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore since our experts have actually acquired a number of our starters therein, let's attempt to affix him in a corner as well as observe if our company can overload that side and attempt to reduce his yield. We practiced that all week long. It wasn't even like we were stressed to kick a touchback. We were actually more worried about reaching it over in the edge, and also if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it is actually truly near the sideline, then our company could possibly attempt to box him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our company are actually not heading to boot to him. He's also dangerous." Times before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our pastors gave a church solution prior to the activity and talked about David and Goliath and also claimed, 'The factor David prospered is he wasn't frightened. All the other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I started thinking, am I placing fear in to our fellas' centers? Am I playing this wrong? Our experts can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as pleasantly surprised as any person that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the take it easy and brought in background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I changed my mind as well as said if our team drop the toss, our company're heading to kick off. Our team are actually heading to kick it to him, and also I desire you to decrease and pound him. And also when our experts knock their champion down, that's heading to send an information similar to David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our special groups coach, as well as naturally he claimed we may deal with, we may do this. Our team'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everyone wants to possess their moment. No person wishes to head out certainly there and also merely state, 'Hey, our experts weren't portion of this, or our team really did not contribute.' So it was actually shared, yet in the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or even 3 days prior to the game I moved the fellas to entice Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our team can easily handle him. Our experts'll be actually fine.' You could tell [Dungy] felt uneasy regarding performing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears special crews planner: "Every activity that our company had, it was regularly a concern of who's visiting boot to him, that isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had actually referred to not booting to him, however we always thought as a team that they were actually mosting likely to kick to our team in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Sunday evening. I pointed out, 'They are actually going to kick the round right to our company.'" An unexpected hurricane moved into the Miami area on game time and also unloaded virtually one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester as well as the Bears kickoff gain crew trot onto the industry to receive the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a rookie, his self-confidence when he took the industry was actually unbelievable. We took a bunch of honor in blocking out for him. Special groups wasn't a job. It really did not seem like you were being actually reprimanded for not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the industry along with him in the yield game, it resembled, 'Guy, our company may take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember seeing all these flashes click on when the sphere is actually being started. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the game from the locker space felt surreal. I've never ever really felt anything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were Classical candlesticks being shot up plus all the ashes were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It entirely had me badgered out. I got to the sideline and it resembled, 'Whoa, what only happened?' And then our team win the coin throw and also our company're getting. Discuss an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I mentioned if it uses completion region, obtain that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts since it was never done, had actually certainly never been actually carried out just before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never ever entered my mind that he would certainly run a ball back for a goal. It definitely failed to. I've had two of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Veggie Gulf Packers wide receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he ran it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me just before, but at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to occur once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Activity in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our experts did it. I believed, our team'll put him in the edge, we'll confront him inside the 25 and also our team'll feel decent concerning our own selves. And also is actually never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he viewed the ball moved his technique] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would come to tackling him was security Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins far from Hester, that accelerated far from his understanding. The Bears' block being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid produced a void for Hester to blast past the initial surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo and began dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He outran everyone whenever he did that. The center of the area was actually gold for Devin. They really did not wish to boot it down the middle to Devin, but they seemingly were actually thinking of it way too much, and if you think you are actually defeated. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I recognized he was actually visiting credit rating." I maintained referring to him remaining in his lawn [on the broadcast] I feel I said, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually foolish.'" Harris: "I remember striking a man, it was perhaps around the little Super Dish logo. I cracked this man and also sort of saw [Devin] flashing by. And also when I reversed and also I observed he was actually out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I have actually come to go fulfill him.' So I only took off on a dead sprint since I recognized he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our very first wave of fellas, then our experts have a security on each edge and also me in between. I understood I was actually as well far away coming from him. If I could possibly get close sufficient to him to a minimum of sluggish him down, perhaps the search might come to him. But he juked the piss out of me, as well. That is actually things concerning Devin. When he has a little bit of space, with that said dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 gardens for a goal along with the opening 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's comical because after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of available field, so I understood ideal at that point and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's attempt] It wasn't a condition where I was pinned to a side project and also had the subsidiary working against me. We resided in the open area, so I recognized he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin searched for. I was actually wondering why he was actually finding later on to find out that he was actually checking out themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him and also just stumbled him up as well as he tumbled into completion area for the goal." The Bears' drive would certainly advance the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took control in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We started the video game along with a touchdown and also our company presumed it was actually mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Truly failed to end up that way, despite the fact that our experts appeared as well as our team got a choice right afterwards, too. Our company assumed we possessed all sort of momentum at that point and then obviously it wound up changing on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I think the one point about that was it was actually the first play of the game. That really functioned in our advantage given that if it was actually everything behind that, like in in the 4th quarter, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It would be a tough point to recuperate coming from." However our team had 4 quarters to bounce back and place that behind us. Therefore, for our company it was kind of like, 'Okay, we tried. Embarassment on our company and afterwards our company can maintain it moving currently.' Given that eventually, we understood offensively our company were actually going to rack up much more than 7 aspects, as well as I recognized defensively our experts were mosting likely to keep all of them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole team is ignited as well as delighted. Currently when they begin to us, their defense is actually going to be actually happening a thousand miles a hr because the energy is presently on their side ... yet the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we knew it wasn't over by any means. Our experts felt in one's bones that this is the person that will wreck the ready us if our experts don't avoid that. And also obviously merely enjoying that initial play was evidence of that. Let's not boot him another sphere." Gilmore: "They got brilliant and decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I had pair of yields in that activity. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner brought about this file.