.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the most significant game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually effectively on his technique to coming to be the most ideal gain specialist in NFL history.The former second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually already gained first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Dish respects by the time the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- as well as league-high 47 punts along with three resulting in goals in 2006. He additionally came back pair of firsts for goals as well as scored after returning a skipped field goal 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had loads of film to study as they prepared for Chicago's a lot of risky item. They had viewed Hester manage a punting back 83 yards for the permission goal to cover off a 20-point revival sway the Cardinals. They saw him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same activity to scratch first return goals of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the piece throw inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to obtain, the Colts sent the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to sprint where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD gain of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The disappointment coming from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence is going to be actually preserved in Canton this weekend break as the very first player chosen to the Pro Football Venue of Popularity initially as a zing returner a player that stimulated one of the best famous seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Dish along with a property telephone call Some of the best kick returners ever switches 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually created a game plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' special teams units were actually the most eruptive in the game, the Colts positioned 30th in first insurance coverage and also 32nd in punt coverage. Here is just how that program essentially yielded to among the best interesting plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't an unsafe aggressive crew. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, profits, they possessed the most effective unique crews system in the NFL. Pub none. And also the best returner, most likely in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "We were booting to the edges, our company're jumping the sphere, we are actually squibbing it, our team're punting high, or even our company are actually punting away from bounds. We said, 'He's not visiting be actually an aspect. We presume our experts can easily regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his profits for goals were actually punts, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back three punts as well as two firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the game plan was do not punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, forty five gardens, out of bounds. Give up some distance yet carry out not permit him obtain the round in his palms." We dealt with it the other way and also didn't want to lose a lot of yardage on first things, therefore since our experts've acquired a number of our beginners therein, permit's try to affix him in a corner and also find if we may overload that side and also try to minimize his profit. Our team practiced that all week long. It had not been even like our experts were fretted to kick a touchback. We were actually even more anxious concerning striking it over in the corner, as well as if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it is actually truly close to the subsidiary, then we might make an effort to package him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategy was our team are actually certainly not heading to kick to him. He's also unsafe." Days before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a church solution prior to the video game as well as discussed David and also Giant as well as claimed, 'The main reason David prospered is he wasn't scared. All the other Israelites were afraid of Goliath.' So I started assuming, am I placing concern in to our men' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our company can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as pleasantly surprised as anybody that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the settle back and also made history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I changed my thoughts and pointed out if our experts lose the shake, our experts are actually mosting likely to start. We are actually heading to kick it to him, as well as I want you to decrease as well as pound him. As well as when our team take their champion down, that is actually mosting likely to deliver a message much like David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our unique groups instructor, and certainly he stated our company may cover, our team can do this. Our experts'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wishes to have their minute. Nobody wants to go out certainly there as well as just claim, 'Hey, our company weren't aspect of this, or our company didn't contribute.' So it was actually mutual, but at the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "Two or even 3 times before the game I moved the guys to persuade Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our company may handle him. Our experts'll be actually alright.' You might say to [Dungy] worried about doing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs planner: "Every activity that we had, it was actually consistently a concern of that's visiting boot to him, that isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had actually spoken about certainly not booting to him, however our team constantly supposed as a workers that they were actually going to boot to us in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told them Saturday evening. I pointed out, 'They're mosting likely to kick the ball right to our team.'" An unpredicted hurricane relocated right into the Miami location on video game day and dumped nearly one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester as well as the Bears first profit crew trot onto the area to get the opening zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a newbie, his self-confidence when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our experts took a lot of pleasure in blocking for him. Exclusive crews had not been a task. It failed to seem like you were being reprimanded for not being actually a starter. At any time you tromped the industry along with him in the profit video game, it was like, 'Man, our experts can take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind finding all these flashes click when the round is actually being actually began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity from the locker space felt surreal. I have actually never ever experienced anything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were Classical candles being actually shot up plus all the ashes were actually coming down in funeral pace. It absolutely possessed me bugged out. I reached the side project and it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply taken place?' And afterwards our experts win the piece shake and we are actually receiving. Talk about an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I pointed out if it enters the end region, acquire that reception for him. That's what was in my mind because it was actually certainly never carried out, had never been performed before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my mind that he would dash a round back for a goal. It definitely failed to. I've possessed 2 of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he worked it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me just before, but at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's fight, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been fearful when we performed it. I believed, our team'll place him in the section, we'll attack him inside the 25 and our team'll feel fair concerning ourselves. And also's absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that showed up of my mouth [when he observed the round headed his way] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender would certainly reach addressing him was protection Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches far from Hester, that increased out of his grasp. The Bears' wedge consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blow past the very first surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo and started sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the field, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He outran everybody whenever he did that. The center of the industry was actually gold for Devin. They didn't intend to kick it down the middle to Devin, but they apparently were actually considering it a lot of, and if you think you're beat. If they boot it down the center of the field, I knew he was mosting likely to credit rating." I kept talking about him residing in his backyard [on the show] I think I pointed out, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the biggest stage in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually ludicrous.'" Harris: "I always remember reaching an individual, it was actually probably around the little Super Dish logo. I damaged this person and also kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. And when I turned around and also I observed he was out and all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I've reached go satisfy him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint since I understood he was scoring." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our first wave of people, at that point our company possess a security on each edge and me in the center. I knew I was too far coming from him. If I can receive close good enough to him to at the very least slow him down, maybe the interest could reach him. However he outwited the piss away from me, also. That is actually the many things regarding Devin. When he has a little bit of area, with that said dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 lawns for a goal along with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also really did not touch him whatsoever, I was like 'damn.' It's amusing because after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anybody's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of open industry, so I recognized right after that and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a situation where I was pinned to a side project as well as had the side project antagonizing me. Our team were in the open field, so I knew he wasn't going to receive me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and Devin looked up. I was actually asking yourself why he was searching for later on to discover that he was actually looking at themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him as well as just stumbled him up and he detected completion region for the goal." The Bears' energy would certainly advance the next drive as they opened a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took command in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the game with a touchdown as well as we believed it was actually mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually failed to end up that way, although our experts visited and also our team received a selection right after that, extremely. Our team thought our experts had all type of energy at that point and after that definitely it wound up switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I presume the something about that was it was the 1st play of the game. That actually functioned in our advantage considering that if it was actually just about anything behind that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it will resemble, 'Oh my God!' It will be a tough thing to bounce back coming from." However our company possessed four fourths to recover and place that behind our company. Therefore, for us it was actually type of like, 'Okay, our company made an effort. Shame on us and after that we may maintain it moving right now.' Due to the fact that ultimately, we knew offensively our company were heading to count more than seven factors, and also I understood defensively our company were going to keep all of them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire group is actually ignited as well as thrilled. Now when they kick off to our team, their self defense is visiting be actually coming a million kilometers an hour considering that the energy is actually on their edge ... however the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left in the activity, we understood it had not been over by any means. We just knew that this is actually the individual that will damage the ready our team if we do not avoid that. And also obviously merely enjoying that 1st play was actually evidence of that. Let's certainly not kick him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired smart as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two returns during that game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this document.