.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the biggest activity of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually well on his means to becoming the greatest return expert in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually already gained first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Bowl tributes due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- and league-high 47 puntings along with 3 causing touchdowns in 2006. He also returned 2 firsts for goals as well as racked up after returning a skipped basket 108 gardens versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed lots of movie to examine as they planned for Chicago's the majority of dangerous weapon. They had actually observed Hester operate a punt back 83 gardens for the consent goal to cap off a 20-point revival win over the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same game to mark first return goals of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin toss inside a stormy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to receive, the Colts sent out the position first right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to sprint from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' goal, 92 yards away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD yield of an opening first in Super Dish history.The setback from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will definitely be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the first gamer elected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Prominence primarily as a zing returner a player who triggered some of the best legendary minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester actually started the Super Bowl along with a property telephone call One of the best kick returners ever transforms 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually assembled a game plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive crews devices were actually one of the most explosive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff protection as well as 32nd in punt protection. Below is just how that planning inevitably yielded to among the best impressive plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a risky aggressive crew. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they had the very best unique crews unit in the NFL. Pub none. And also the most effective returner, possibly in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our company were actually booting to the corners, our team're hopping the round, we are actually squibbing it, our team are actually punting higher, or we're punting away from bounds. We mentioned, 'He is actually certainly not mosting likely to be an aspect. We think our team can easily regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for goals were actually puntings, not essentially kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings and 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategy was actually don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, forty five lawns, away from bounds. Sacrifice some distance yet carry out certainly not permit him receive the ball in his hands." Our company thought of it the various other method and also really did not would like to sacrifice a lots of yardage on kickoff things, so due to the fact that our experts've received a couple of our starters therein, let's try to affix him behind-the-scenes and also find if our team can easily overload that edge and also make an effort to minimize his profit. Our company practiced that all week long. It wasn't also like we were actually stressed to kick a touchback. Our experts were more worried about reaching it over in the corner, and if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard line yet it's actually close to the subsidiary, at that point we could make an effort to package him in a little bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our company are actually certainly not visiting kick to him. He is actually too risky." Days just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains gave a chapel service just before the video game and also talked about David as well as Goliath and stated, 'The reason David was successful is he had not been worried. All the other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I started assuming, am I putting fear into our guys' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our team can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as anyone that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the take it easy and brought in history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my thoughts and also claimed if we lose the shake, our company're visiting begin. Our company are actually going to boot it to him, and also I want you to go down and also pound him. And when our experts knock their champion down, that is actually heading to send out a message similar to David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our special staffs instructor, and certainly he mentioned our team may deal with, our experts may do this. Our experts'll get him in the Super Dish. Everybody intends to have their second. Nobody intends to head out there certainly as well as only claim, 'Hey, our experts weren't component of this, or our company didn't support.' So it was actually reciprocal, however in the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or even 3 days before the activity I moved the guys to entice Train Dungy. I said, 'Our team can handle him. We'll be actually great.' You could tell [Dungy] felt uneasy about doing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive teams organizer: "Every activity that our team had, it was actually regularly a concern of that is actually visiting boot to him, who isn't heading to kick to him. We understood that they had spoken about certainly not booting to him, however our company always thought as a personnel that they were actually mosting likely to boot to us in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I told them Sunday evening. I said, 'They are actually going to kick the ball right to us.'" An unforeseen storm moved in to the Miami area on video game day and also dumped nearly one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester and the Bears first return team trot onto the area to acquire the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a rookie, his self-confidence when he took the industry was unreal. We took a considerable amount of satisfaction in shutting out for him. Special staffs had not been a chore. It failed to believe that you were actually being actually disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. At any time you stepped on the industry with him in the gain activity, it felt like, 'Male, our experts can get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget observing all these flashes click on when the sphere is being started. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity from the storage locker area felt unique. I have actually certainly never felt everything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were actually Classical candlesticks being skyrocketed plus all the cinders were coming down in funeral pace. It completely had me annoyed out. I came to the side project as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what just taken place?' And then our experts succeed the piece shake and our company're obtaining. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I claimed if it uses completion area, obtain that reception for him. That's what resided in my thoughts given that it was actually never done, had actually never been actually done prior to." Vinatieri: "Honestly it never ever entered my thoughts that he would certainly dash a round back for a touchdown. It truly failed to. I have actually possessed 2 of all of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] and also he ran it back for a goal. So it took place to me just before, however at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting happen once again.' 2024 Pro Football Venue of FameThe Venue of Prominence Game in between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when we did it. I thought, our team'll place him in the corner, our team'll attack him inside the 25 as well as our team'll feel good concerning ourselves. And also is actually not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that came out of my mouth [when he found the ball moved his means] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and added area to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would certainly reach addressing him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches off of Hester, that sped up far from his realization. The Bears' block being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid created a gap for Hester to blow past the first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo as well as started sprinting alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everybody every single time he performed that. The center of the area was actually gold for Devin. They failed to desire to kick it down the middle to Devin, however they apparently were considering it a lot of, and if you presume you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I knew he was actually going to credit rating." I kept speaking about him being in his lawn [on the broadcast] I feel I pointed out, 'From Riviera Seaside to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I always remember attacking an individual, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl logo design. I nicked this man and type of saw [Devin] showing off through. As well as when I turned around and also I found he was out plus all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I mentioned, 'All right, I have actually reached go fulfill him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint given that I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our very first surge of people, at that point we have a safety and security on each side and me in the center. I recognized I was actually as well far away from him. If I can receive close good enough to him to at the very least slow-moving him down, possibly the quest could get to him. Yet he outwited the piss away from me, too. That is actually things concerning Devin. When he has a bit of area, keeping that dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 lawns for a goal along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and also failed to touch him at all, I was like 'damn.' It's funny since after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much available field, so I understood right then and there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a situation where I was pinned to a sideline as well as had the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our experts remained in the available area, so I understood he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin looked up. I was thinking about why he was seeking out eventually to know that he was actually examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and only stumbled him up and he tumbled into the end region for the goal." The Bears' drive would certainly continue the next drive as they opened a 14-6 top, however the Colts took command in the second zone for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the video game along with a goal as well as we assumed it was going to be actually an ass-whipping. Really didn't end up in this way, even though our team showed up and also we received a pick right afterwards, extremely. Our experts thought our experts had all type of energy then and then clearly it ended up shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I assume the one point concerning that was it was actually the very first play of the video game. That in fact functioned in our benefit considering that if it was anything later than that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a challenging point to recoup from." Yet our experts possessed four quarters to recoup and also place that behind us. So, for us it was kind of like, 'Okay, our company attempted. Shame on our team and after that we can maintain it moving currently.' Given that ultimately, we knew offensively our team were actually visiting record greater than seven factors, as well as I knew defensively our team were mosting likely to maintain them coming from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is ignited as well as excited. Right now when they begin to our team, their self defense is actually mosting likely to be coming a million miles a hr since the drive is already on their side ... however the truth that there was still 59 1/2 moments left in the activity, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. Our team just knew that this is actually the guy that will certainly damage the game for our team if we don't protect against that. And also certainly just checking out that 1st play was actually verification of that. Permit's certainly not kick him another sphere." Gilmore: "They obtained intelligent as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 yields because video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner helped in this file.