.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and range of Utmost Week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury Updates as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the time Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Florida for the greatest activity of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was well on his method to becoming the best gain specialist in NFL history.The past second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had presently earned first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and also Pro Dish honors due to the time the Bears progressed to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- as well as league-high 47 puntings with 3 resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back 2 kickoffs for touchdowns and racked up after coming back a missed basket 108 lawns versus the New york city Giants.The Colts had plenty of movie to analyze as they prepared for Chicago's many harmful weapon. They had actually viewed Hester manage a punting back 83 yards for the consent touchdown to cap off a 20-point resurgence sway the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same activity to scratch first gain goals of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece throw inside a wet Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and chosen to acquire, the Colts sent the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 seconds to dash from where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 yards away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD yield of a position first in Super Dish history.The letdown from an ultimate 29-17 loss to the Colts did little to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact is going to be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend as the initial player selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Popularity initially as a zing returner a player that triggered one of the absolute most legendary seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester actually began the Super Bowl with a home telephone call Some of the best zing returners ever before transforms 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 produced a strategy for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive crews devices were the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt coverage. Here is exactly how that plan inevitably accepted among one of the most exciting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a harmful offensive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, profits, they had the greatest exclusive crews device in the NFL. Club none. And the very best returner, perhaps in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our experts were booting to the sections, our team are actually jumping the ball, we're squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or even our team are actually punting out of bounds. Our company stated, 'He's not mosting likely to be actually an element. We presume our team can easily manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for goals were actually punts, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings and also two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the strategic plan was actually do not punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 backyards, 45 lawns, out of bounds. Give up some distance yet do certainly not let him obtain the round in his hands." Our company considered it the various other way and also didn't wish to sacrifice a ton of yardage on first stuff, so given that our company've obtained a couple of our beginners in there, let's try to pin him in a corner and also find if our company may overload that edge and also make an effort to lessen his gain. Our company engaged in that all week long. It had not been also like our team were actually stressed to boot a touchback. Our team were more anxious concerning striking it over in the section, as well as if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard line yet it's definitely near to the side project, at that point we could possibly make an effort to box him in a small amount." Reid: "The game plan was our company're certainly not heading to boot to him. He's too harmful." Days before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors provided a church service just before the game and also discussed David and Goliath as well as claimed, 'The factor David achieved success is he had not been afraid. All the other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I started presuming, am I putting fear in to our men' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our team can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as any person that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the take it easy and also created history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my mind and stated if our company drop the throw, our team are actually going to begin. Our team are actually visiting kick it to him, as well as I prefer you to decrease as well as pound him. And when our experts knock their champ down, that's visiting deliver a notification much like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our special staffs train, and certainly he claimed our team can cover, we may do this. Our team'll acquire him in the Super Dish. Everybody would like to have their instant. No person would like to go out there certainly as well as merely claim, 'Hey, our company weren't component of this, or even our company failed to support.' So it was actually common, however at the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "Two or 3 days just before the activity I rallied the men to entice Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our team can easily handle him. Our team'll be alright.' You could possibly tell [Dungy] regreted concerning doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears special teams coordinator: "Every activity that our team possessed, it was actually regularly a concern of that's visiting kick to him, that isn't heading to kick to him. We knew that they had talked about certainly not kicking to him, but our team regularly assumed as a personnel that they were visiting kick to our company in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Saturday night. I said, 'They're visiting kick the round right to us.'" An unexpected tornado moved right into the Miami region on game time and also disposed nearly one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears first return staff trot onto the field to get the position zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his peace of mind when he took the industry was actually unbelievable. Our team took a lot of pride in obstructing for him. Unique teams had not been a duty. It failed to think that you were being penalized for not being actually a starter. Whenever you stepped on the area with him in the return activity, it was like, 'Male, our experts can easily take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind observing all these flashes hit when the ball is being actually kicked off. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the video game from the closet area really felt unique. I've never really felt anything like it. It resembled the movies. There were actually Roman candle lights being actually skyrocketed and all the embers were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It entirely had me bugged out. I got to the subsidiary as well as it felt like, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And then we gain the piece throw and also our company're acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I stated if it uses the end zone, acquire that ball for him. That's what remained in my thoughts due to the fact that it was never ever performed, had actually never ever been actually carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my mind that he will run a round back for a touchdown. It truly didn't. I have actually possessed 2 of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Veggie Gulf Packers large receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he functioned it back for a goal. So it occurred to me prior to, yet at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to occur again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's fight, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our experts did it. I thought, we'll put him in the edge, our company'll tackle him inside the 25 and our experts'll really feel fair regarding ourselves. Which's never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my oral cavity [when he viewed the sphere headed his way] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and ran up field to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would certainly come to handling him was actually safety Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches out of Hester, that sped up far from his grasp. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid produced a gap for Hester to blast past the very first wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo design and also began running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everyone every time he carried out that. The middle of the field was actually gold for Devin. They really did not want to boot it down the center to Devin, however they apparently were dealing with it way too much, and if you presume you are actually beat. If they kick it down the center of the field, I understood he was actually mosting likely to score." I always kept speaking about him remaining in his backyard [on the show] I feel I pointed out, 'From Riviera Beach front to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind attacking an individual, it was possibly around the little Super Bowl logo. I damaged this individual and also kind of saw [Devin] flashing through. As well as when I shifted and I saw he was actually out and all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I said, 'All right, I've got to go fulfill him.' So I merely removed on a dead sprint because I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he surpassed our first surge of fellas, at that point our experts have a safety and security on each edge and me in the center. I knew I was actually too distant coming from him. If I could acquire close good enough to him to at least slow-moving him down, maybe the pursuit can come to him. But he juked the piss out of me, as well. That's the important things about Devin. When he possesses a little bit of space, keeping that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 lawns for a goal with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and failed to touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually funny given that after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anyone's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much open field, so I recognized correct at that point as well as there [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a circumstance where I was affixed to a side project and also had the side project antagonizing me. Our team were in the available industry, so I recognized he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was questioning why he was actually seeking out later on to learn that he was actually examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and only tripped him up and he detected the end zone for the goal." The Bears' energy would advance the upcoming ride as they opened up a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took command in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the game along with a goal and also our experts believed it was heading to be an ass-whipping. Actually failed to find yourself this way, despite the fact that we emerged as well as our company acquired a pick right after that, very. Our team believed our company possessed all sort of momentum then and after that obviously it found yourself switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I think the one thing concerning that was it was the initial play of the video game. That in fact operated in our benefit because if it was actually everything beyond that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a hard thing to recoup coming from." However our company possessed 4 quarters to bounce back as well as put that responsible for our company. So, for us it was actually sort of like, 'All right, our experts made an effort. Embarassment on our company and after that our team may keep it relocating currently.' Due to the fact that in the long run, we understood offensively our company were actually visiting record more than 7 aspects, as well as I knew defensively our company were actually going to keep them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole group is ignited and thrilled. Right now when they start to us, their self defense is mosting likely to be coming a thousand miles an hour due to the fact that the momentum is actually presently on their edge ... yet the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left in the activity, we understood it wasn't over by any means. We just knew that this is the individual that is going to wreck the game for our team if we do not avoid that. As well as definitely just watching that first play was actually verification of that. Let's certainly not kick him an additional sphere." Gilmore: "They got clever as well as determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two yields in that video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the position kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this document.