.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury Updates as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his indigenous South Florida for the greatest game of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was effectively on his way to coming to be the best yield expert in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already earned first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Bowl honors by the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a career- and league-high 47 punts along with three leading to touchdowns in 2006. He additionally came back two firsts for touchdowns as well as scored after coming back a missed out on basket 108 backyards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of movie to study as they got ready for Chicago's the majority of risky item. They had observed Hester run a punting back 83 gardens for the consent touchdown to cover off a 20-point resurgence draw the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same video game to scratch first return touchdowns of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece shake inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and also selected to acquire, the Colts delivered the opening first right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 secs to sprint from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 lawns away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD gain of an opening kickoff in Super Dish history.The setback from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts carried out little bit of to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be preserved in Canton this weekend as the 1st player chosen to the Pro Soccer Venue of Fame primarily as a zing returner a gamer who triggered some of one of the most iconic instants in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Bowl along with a property call One of the greatest zing returners ever turns 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 created a strategy for Hester that revolved around him not touching the round. While the Bears' unique teams units were the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed here is actually exactly how that plan inevitably accepted among the absolute most interesting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a risky offensive staff. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, profits, they had the greatest unique teams unit in the NFL. Club none. And the most ideal returner, probably in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our company were actually booting to the edges, our company are actually bouncing the ball, our experts're squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or our team are actually punting away from bounds. Our experts said, 'He is actually not going to be an element. Our team believe we can easily manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his profits for goals were actually puntings, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back 3 punts and also two firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the strategic plan was actually do not punt the sphere to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, forty five backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some proximity yet do certainly not let him get the sphere in his palms." We thought of it the other technique as well as didn't intend to lose a lot of yardage on kickoff things, therefore due to the fact that our team have actually got a couple of our starters in there, permit's try to affix him in a corner and also find if we may overload that side and attempt to reduce his yield. We exercised that all week long. It had not been even like our experts were worried to boot a touchback. Our experts were more interested concerning hitting it over in the corner, and also if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it's really close to the sideline, at that point our experts could try to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our company're certainly not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually too hazardous." Times just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors offered a church solution prior to the video game and also discussed David and Goliath as well as pointed out, 'The explanation David was successful is he wasn't hesitant. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I began presuming, am I placing fear right into our people' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? Our team can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the sit back and created record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my mind and mentioned if our company shed the shake, our company're going to kick off. Our experts are actually going to boot it to him, as well as I wish you to decrease and also pound him. As well as when we knock their champ down, that is actually mosting likely to send a notification much like David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our special teams instructor, and of course he said our experts can deal with, our experts can do this. Our experts'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everybody would like to possess their moment. Nobody wishes to head out certainly there and also simply mention, 'Hey, our experts weren't component of this, or even we didn't contribute.' So it was reciprocal, however in the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "Pair of or three times just before the activity I moved the fellas to convince Train Dungy. I stated, 'Our team can manage him. We'll be actually fine.' You can inform [Dungy] felt uneasy about doing it, but he resembles: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive teams coordinator: "Every activity that our team had, it was constantly an inquiry of that's going to kick to him, who isn't going to boot to him. We knew that they had spoken about certainly not kicking to him, however our company regularly assumed as a personnel that they were heading to boot to us in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Saturday evening. I stated, 'They're heading to boot the ball right to our company.'" An unforeseen storm relocated into the Miami area on activity time as well as disposed almost one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester and also the Bears first gain team trot onto the field to receive the position zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his self-confidence when he took the industry was unbelievable. We took a lot of pleasure in blocking for him. Unique staffs wasn't a task. It failed to seem like you were actually being actually penalized for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you tromped the industry with him in the return activity, it was like, 'Male, our experts can take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I always remember finding all these flashes click on when the round is actually being actually began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the game from the locker room really felt surreal. I've certainly never felt anything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were Roman candlesticks being actually skyrocketed and all the ashes were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It totally possessed me badgered out. I got to the side project as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what merely happened?' And after that our experts win the piece throw and our experts are actually getting. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I stated if it goes in completion zone, acquire that reception for him. That's what resided in my thoughts since it was never ever done, had never ever been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my mind that he will run a round back for a goal. It really didn't. I've possessed two of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Green Gulf Packers wide receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a goal. So it occurred to me prior to, yet at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to happen once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Hall of Prominence Activity in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our company performed it. I believed, our experts'll place him in the section, our team'll tackle him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll really feel decent about ourselves. And that's absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that came out of my mouth [when he observed the round headed his means] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and raised field to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender will get to tackling him was actually protection Marlin Jackson, that was inches away from Hester, who sped up out of his understanding. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blast past the initial surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl company logo as well as started dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He outran everyone every time he did that. The middle of the area was gold for Devin. They didn't wish to kick it down the mid to Devin, however they seemingly were actually thinking about it way too much, and also if you think you are actually beat. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I recognized he was heading to credit rating." I always kept referring to him remaining in his yard [on the program] I believe I mentioned, 'From Riviera Seashore to the largest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually absurd.'" Harris: "I bear in mind reaching a man, it was actually possibly around the little Super Bowl company logo. I chipped this person as well as sort of saw [Devin] flashing by. And when I shifted and I found he was out and all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I've got to go meet him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint considering that I recognized he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our very first surge of guys, then our experts possess a safety and security on each edge as well as me in the center. I understood I was also away coming from him. If I could possibly obtain close sufficient to him to at least slow him down, maybe the quest could get to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, as well. That's things concerning Devin. When he possesses a bit of area, with that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 yards for a touchdown with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him at all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually funny considering that after one play, my jersey is dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was way too much available industry, so I recognized correct at that point and also there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a condition where I was affixed to a sideline and had the side project antagonizing me. We were in the open industry, so I knew he wasn't going to receive me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin found. I was wondering why he was actually searching for later to find out that he was actually examining themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as only tripped him up and he tumbled into completion region for the goal." The Bears' momentum will continue on the next drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took command in the second zone for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the game with a touchdown and our company thought it was going to be an ass-whipping. Definitely failed to wind up this way, although our team came out and our experts received a selection right afterwards, very. Our company believed our company possessed all type of momentum then and afterwards obviously it ended up shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I assume the a single thing concerning that was it was actually the first play of the game. That in fact done work in our benefit since if it was just about anything behind that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would be actually a hard factor to recover coming from." But we possessed four fourths to recuperate and place that behind our company. So, for us it was kind of like, 'All right, we tried. Embarassment on our company and then we can easily keep it moving currently.' Since eventually, we knew offensively we were actually visiting record more than 7 points, and also I recognized defensively we were actually mosting likely to maintain all of them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their entire group is ignited and also delighted. Currently when they start to us, their protection is actually mosting likely to be coming a million kilometers an hour given that the momentum is already on their edge ... yet the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we understood it wasn't over by any means. We felt in one's bones that this is the fella that will definitely ravage the ready our company if we do not avoid that. As well as certainly only enjoying that very first play was evidence of that. Allow's certainly not boot him another round." Gilmore: "They received brilliant as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 yields during that video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this document.