.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a mixeds media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his native South Florida for the greatest video game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually well on his method to coming to be the most ideal gain professional in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had currently gained first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Dish respects by the time the Bears advanced to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a career- and league-high 47 puntings with 3 resulting in goals in 2006. He likewise came back 2 kickoffs for touchdowns and also racked up after coming back a skipped field goal 108 lawns versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to examine as they got ready for Chicago's the majority of harmful item. They had actually observed Hester manage a punting back 83 gardens for the go-ahead touchdown to cover off a 20-point resurgence sway the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same video game to mark kickoff yield goals of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece shake inside a stormy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as elected to acquire, the Colts sent out the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 few seconds to dash where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end line, 92 gardens away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD return of an opening first in Super Dish history.The setback coming from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little bit of to vanish the play that complements Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will certainly be actually preserved in Canton this weekend break as the initial gamer chosen to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Popularity first and foremost as a kick returner a gamer who sparked some of the absolute most iconic minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Bowl with a residence phone call Some of the best zing returners ever switches 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had crafted a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' unique teams devices were actually the most explosive in the league, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff protection as well as 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Here is actually just how that plan inevitably accepted among one of the most impressive plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't an unsafe offensive crew. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, come back, they possessed the most ideal exclusive staffs unit in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the most effective returner, most likely in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our experts were actually kicking to the corners, our company're hopping the ball, our experts're squibbing it, our company are actually punting high, or our company're punting out of bounds. We claimed, 'He's not visiting be an aspect. Our company presume our company can easily control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for goals were puntings, not always kickoffs [Hester returned three punts and also two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategic plan was don't punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 yards, 45 backyards, away from bounds. Give up some span but perform certainly not allow him get the ball in his palms." Our experts thought about it the other method and also didn't want to give up a ton of yardage on kickoff things, thus given that we've received a number of our starters in there, let's try to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as see if we can easily overload that side and also attempt to reduce his return. Our experts exercised that all week long. It wasn't even like we were paniced to boot a touchback. Our company were actually even more interested regarding attacking it over in the edge, and also if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it is actually really close to the subsidiary, then we might attempt to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was our company're not going to boot to him. He's too unsafe." Times before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors provided a chapel solution just before the game and discussed David and Goliath and also pointed out, 'The main reason David achieved success is he had not been worried. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I started assuming, am I putting anxiety into our men' centers? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our company can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as pleasantly surprised as any individual that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the settle back and also brought in record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I changed my thoughts and also claimed if we drop the shake, our company are actually heading to kick off. Our team're heading to boot it to him, and I prefer you to go down as well as extra pound him. And when our experts take their champ down, that's mosting likely to deliver a notification much like David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs train, and also of course he stated we can easily deal with, our company may do this. Our company'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everyone would like to have their second. No person wishes to head out there as well as merely state, 'Hey, our experts weren't portion of this, or our team really did not contribute.' So it was reciprocal, yet by the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or three days prior to the video game I rallied the fellas to encourage Coach Dungy. I pointed out, 'We can easily handle him. Our experts'll be fine.' You could say to [Dungy] regreted concerning doing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive crews organizer: "Every video game that our experts possessed, it was always a question of that's going to boot to him, that isn't visiting boot to him. We knew that they had discussed certainly not booting to him, yet our company constantly thought as a personnel that they were mosting likely to kick to us in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Sunday night. I mentioned, 'They're mosting likely to boot the ball right to us.'" An unforeseen hurricane moved into the Miami area on activity day as well as unloaded nearly one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester and also the Bears first gain crew trot onto the field to obtain the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his assurance when he took the area was actually unreal. Our company took a bunch of satisfaction in blocking out for him. Unique crews wasn't a chore. It really did not believe that you were actually being reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you tromped the field with him in the gain game, it was like, 'Male, our experts can get it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget seeing all these flashes hit when the round is actually being started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity from the storage locker space experienced surreal. I've never really felt anything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were Classical candles being actually soared and all the cinders were boiling down in funeral pace. It totally had me badgered out. I got to the subsidiary and it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply occurred?' And after that our team win the coin throw as well as we are actually receiving. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I claimed if it enters completion region, obtain that reception for him. That's what was in my mind due to the fact that it was never carried out, had never been actually performed prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my thoughts that he would run a ball back for a goal. It really didn't. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me just before, yet at no opportunity was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to happen again.' 2024 Pro Football Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Activity between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been horrendous when our experts did it. I thought, our experts'll put him in the corner, we'll tackle him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll feel decent about ourselves. And also is actually absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my oral cavity [when he found the ball moved his technique] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and raised area to the 20. The closest a Colts protector will come to addressing him was security Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins out of Hester, who accelerated out of his understanding. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid made a space for Hester to blow past the initial surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish logo as well as started dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He outran everyone every single time he performed that. The center of the field was actually gold for Devin. They didn't desire to kick it down the middle to Devin, however they relatively were considering it too much, and also if you think you're defeated. If they kick it down the center of the field, I recognized he was mosting likely to rating." I maintained talking about him being in his yard [on the show] I think I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Seashore to the largest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I remember striking a person, it was probably around the little Super Bowl logo design. I nicked this person and sort of saw [Devin] showing off through. As well as when I reversed as well as I viewed he was out and all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I only took off on a lifeless sprint given that I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our very first wave of individuals, at that point our experts possess a protection on each side and also me between. I understood I was actually too distant from him. If I could obtain close good enough to him to at the very least slow him down, possibly the search could reach him. However he juked the piss away from me, also. That's the many things concerning Devin. When he has a little of area, with that said sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 yards for a goal with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as really did not touch him at all, I was like 'damn.' It's amusing since after one play, my shirt is dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of open field, so I understood correct after that and also certainly there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a condition where I was actually pinned to a subsidiary and also had the side project working against me. Our team resided in the available area, so I recognized he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin searched for. I was wondering why he was looking up eventually to learn that he was actually examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and simply tripped him up and he tumbled into the end zone for the goal." The Bears' drive would continue the upcoming ride as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the video game along with a goal as well as our team believed it was going to be an ass-whipping. Really really did not wind up in this way, even though our team appeared and also we got a selection right after that, very. Our experts believed our team had all sort of drive then and afterwards obviously it ended up changing on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I think the one point regarding that was it was actually the initial play of the video game. That really functioned in our benefit given that if it was anything beyond that, like in in the fourth quarter, it will feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would be actually a tough thing to bounce back coming from." But our team had four one-fourths to bounce back as well as put that responsible for our team. Therefore, for us it was kind of like, 'Okay, we tried. Pity on us and then our experts can easily maintain it moving currently.' Because in the end, we knew offensively our company were visiting count more than seven points, and also I knew defensively we were actually heading to keep all of them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is ignited and also delighted. Now when they start to our company, their self defense is actually visiting be happening a million kilometers an hour given that the momentum is actually actually on their side ... however the reality that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the activity, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. Our experts felt in one's bones that this is actually the individual that will certainly trash the game for our team if our company do not avoid that. As well as certainly just viewing that very first play was actually proof of that. Permit's not kick him one more round." Gilmore: "They received intelligent and also chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 returns in that activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner helped in this file.