.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury Updates as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came 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 newbie was actually well on his way to coming to be the most ideal gain professional in NFL history.The past second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually actually made first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Bowl tributes due to the opportunity the Bears progressed to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a profession- as well as league-high 47 puntings with three leading to goals in 2006. He likewise returned 2 kickoffs for touchdowns and scored after returning an overlooked field goal 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had lots of movie to analyze as they organized Chicago's most hazardous item. They had found Hester run a punt back 83 yards for the green light touchdown to top off a 20-point return gain the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the very same game to mark first return goals of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece toss inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as selected to get, the Colts sent the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 seconds to run where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 lawns away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD return of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The frustration coming from a possible 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little bit of to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first gamer selected to the Pro Football Hall of Popularity first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer who triggered some of the absolute most iconic instants in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Bowl along with a home phone call One of the best kick returners ever before switches 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had put together a strategic plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the round. While the Bears' unique crews devices were actually the absolute most eruptive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in first coverage as well as 32nd in punt protection. Here is just how that planning eventually yielded to some of the absolute most impressive plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a harmful aggressive team. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But coverage, come back, they possessed the greatest unique staffs system in the NFL. Bar none. And also the most ideal returner, possibly in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our team were booting to the corners, we are actually jumping the sphere, our team're squibbing it, our company are actually punting high, or even our experts're punting away from bounds. Our team pointed out, 'He's not heading to be a factor. Our experts think our team can easily manage their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his returns for touchdowns were actually puntings, not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings as well as two firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the game plan was don't punt the sphere to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 backyards, 45 backyards, away from bounds. Give up some distance yet perform not permit him receive the round in his palms." Our team thought about it the other way and didn't desire to lose a ton of yardage on kickoff things, therefore given that we have actually obtained a couple of our beginners therein, allow's attempt to affix him in a corner as well as find if we can overload that side and make an effort to minimize his profit. Our team practiced that all full week long. It had not been also like our experts were actually paniced to kick a touchback. Our experts were additional worried concerning attacking it over in the section, as well as if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe yet it's really near to the subsidiary, after that our company could possibly make an effort to package him in a bit." Reid: "The game plan was our company're certainly not going to boot to him. He is actually too harmful." Times prior to the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains offered a church service just before the video game and spoke about David and also Giant and also mentioned, 'The factor David prospered is he wasn't scared. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began presuming, am I placing anxiety in to our guys' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? Our team can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as surprised as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the unwind and made past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my mind and claimed if our company drop the shake, our team are actually mosting likely to start. Our team are actually visiting boot it to him, and also I desire you to decrease and also extra pound him. And when our team take their champ down, that is actually mosting likely to send an information just like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our unique crews trainer, as well as naturally he said our company can cover, our company can possibly do this. We'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody wishes to possess their second. Nobody desires to head out there certainly and also merely state, 'Hey, we weren't part of this, or we really did not assist.' So it was actually common, yet by the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or even three days just before the video game I rallied the individuals to convince Train Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our company may manage him. Our company'll be actually alright.' You can tell [Dungy] regreted regarding doing it, but he feels like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs planner: "Every game that we possessed, it was always a question of that is actually visiting kick to him, who isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We understood that they had actually referred to certainly not kicking to him, but our team constantly assumed as a team that they were actually heading to kick to our team in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Saturday night. I claimed, 'They are actually visiting boot the sphere right to our company.'" An unexpected tornado moved in to the Miami location on video game day and also disposed virtually one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester as well as the Bears first profit group trot onto the field to receive the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his self-confidence when he took the field was actually unbelievable. Our team took a bunch of pride in blocking out for him. Special groups had not been a chore. It didn't believe that you were being actually penalized for certainly not being a starter. At any time you tromped the industry along with him in the yield video game, it felt like, 'Male, our team may take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember finding all these flashes click on when the ball is being actually began. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity coming from the storage locker room really felt surreal. I've never ever felt just about anything like it. It resembled the films. There were Roman candle lights being soared and all the ashes were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It completely had me bugged out. I reached the side project and it resembled, 'Whoa, what merely occurred?' And then our experts win the piece toss and also our team're acquiring. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I pointed out if it enters the end zone, acquire that reception for him. That's what was in my mind given that it was actually never ever done, had certainly never been actually performed before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it certainly never entered my mind that he would run a sphere back for a goal. It definitely didn't. I've possessed 2 of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Veggie Gulf Packers wide receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me before, but at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to take place once again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Hall of Popularity Game in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our experts did it. I thought, our experts'll place him in the section, our experts'll tackle him inside the 25 and we'll really feel decent about our own selves. Which is actually not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my oral cavity [when he saw the sphere moved his method] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as added industry to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would come to handling him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was actually ins far from Hester, that increased far from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid made a void for Hester to blow past the first wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl logo and also started sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the field, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He outran everybody whenever he performed that. The middle of the field was gold for Devin. They really did not intend to boot it down the mid to Devin, yet they apparently were actually dealing with it excessive, as well as if you assume you are actually beat. If they boot it down the middle of the area, I recognized he was going to score." I maintained referring to him being in his backyard [on the show] I believe I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Beach to the largest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are actually absurd.'" Harris: "I don't forget attacking a guy, it was actually possibly around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I damaged this individual as well as kind of saw [Devin] flashing by. And when I turned around and also I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I said, 'All right, I have actually reached go meet him.' So I only took off on a dead sprint considering that I understood he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our 1st wave of people, at that point our team have a protection on each side as well as me in the middle. I recognized I was as well away coming from him. If I could possibly acquire close enough to him to at least slow him down, maybe the search could possibly come to him. Yet he juked the piss out of me, also. That is actually the important things about Devin. When he has a little bit of area, with that said sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 lawns for a goal with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged as well as didn't touch him in any way, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually hilarious since after one play, my jersey is dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive available industry, so I recognized ideal then and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a scenario where I was actually affixed to a side project and also possessed the sideline working against me. Our team resided in the open field, so I recognized he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin sought out. I was actually asking yourself why he was actually searching for later on to know that he was taking a look at themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and simply tripped him up and he detected the end area for the goal." The Bears' energy will advance the upcoming travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took management in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the game with a touchdown and also our company assumed it was heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Really didn't wind up in this way, despite the fact that our team showed up and also our company obtained a choice right afterwards, too. Our team presumed our experts had all type of momentum at that point and afterwards certainly it wound up shifting on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I presume the the main thing regarding that was it was the very first play of the game. That really operated in our benefit since if it was actually just about anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will feel like, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a difficult trait to bounce back from." Yet our experts had four fourths to recuperate and also put that responsible for us. Therefore, for our company it was actually sort of like, 'Okay, we attempted. Pity on our team and then our experts can keep it relocating now.' Because in the long run, we understood offensively our company were mosting likely to count much more than seven points, and I understood defensively our experts were actually visiting keep them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole staff is actually ignited and delighted. Right now when they begin to us, their protection is mosting likely to be happening a million miles a hr because the momentum is actually on their edge ... yet the truth that there was still 59 1/2 mins left in the video game, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. We felt in one's bones that this is actually the individual that will certainly wreck the game for us if our company do not avoid that. And definitely merely enjoying that 1st play was actually evidence of that. Let's certainly not boot him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They obtained wise as well as determined to kick it to John Gilmore. I had 2 gains because game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner resulted in this file.