.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and also host of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the most significant game of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was properly on his means to becoming the greatest profit specialist in NFL history.The past second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had presently gained first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Dish respects due to the time the Bears progressed to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- and league-high 47 puntings with 3 causing goals in 2006. He likewise returned pair of firsts for goals and racked up after coming back a missed out on field goal 108 lawns versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had loads of movie to analyze as they prepared for Chicago's many dangerous tool. They had viewed Hester manage a punt back 83 yards for the okay touchdown to cap off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same video game to mark first return goals of 94 as well as 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece toss inside a wet Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens as well as elected to receive, the Colts delivered the opening first right into Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 seconds to dash where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD yield of a position first in Super Dish history.The setback coming from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little bit of to fade the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will be actually preserved in Canton this weekend break as the 1st player selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Popularity initially as a kick returner a player that stimulated some of the best iconic moments in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Dish with a property call Among the best zing returners ever before switches 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually assembled a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive staffs units were the most explosive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in first insurance coverage and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed below is actually how that plan essentially yielded to one of the best stimulating plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a dangerous aggressive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, come back, they had the most ideal exclusive groups device in the NFL. Club none. And the most effective returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "We were booting to the sections, our team're bouncing the sphere, our team're squibbing it, we are actually punting higher, or even we are actually punting out of bounds. Our experts pointed out, 'He is actually certainly not going to be a variable. We think we can control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for touchdowns were actually puntings, not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategy was actually don't punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 backyards, forty five lawns, away from bounds. Lose some proximity however carry out not let him acquire the sphere in his hands." Our team thought about it the other way and failed to would like to sacrifice a lots of yardage on first things, so due to the fact that we've received a couple of our starters therein, permit's make an effort to affix him behind-the-scenes and also observe if our team may overload that side and attempt to reduce his gain. Our team practiced that all week long. It had not been even like we were worried to kick a touchback. Our experts were actually additional interested about attacking it over in the corner, as well as if he records it at the 2- or even 3-yard line yet it is actually truly near to the side project, then our team can attempt to box him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategic plan was our company're certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He's too risky." Times before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors offered a chapel solution prior to the activity and discussed David as well as Goliath as well as mentioned, 'The reason David achieved success is he had not been terrified. All the other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I started assuming, am I placing worry into our fellas' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our team can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as anyone that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the kick back as well as made history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my thoughts as well as said if our company lose the toss, our experts are actually going to begin. We're visiting kick it to him, as well as I desire you to decrease as well as pound him. And also when our company knock their champion down, that is actually mosting likely to send a message much like David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our special teams instructor, and of course he said our experts can cover, our experts can possibly do this. Our experts'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody would like to possess their minute. No person wishes to head out certainly there as well as simply claim, 'Hey, our company weren't part of this, or we really did not assist.' So it was actually shared, yet at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Two or even three times before the activity I rallied the guys to entice Coach Dungy. I pointed out, 'We can easily handle him. Our experts'll be fine.' You could tell [Dungy] worried concerning doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique groups organizer: "Every video game that our company possessed, it was actually constantly an inquiry of that's mosting likely to boot to him, that isn't mosting likely to kick to him. We knew that they had discussed certainly not booting to him, however our team regularly assumed as a workers that they were actually visiting boot to us in the Super Bowl even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told them Sunday night. I mentioned, 'They're going to kick the sphere right to us.'" An unexpected tornado moved in to the Miami place on game day and also disposed virtually 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 return group trot onto the industry to get the opening zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his self-confidence when he took the area was actually unreal. Our team took a ton of pleasure in shutting out for him. Special teams had not been a job. It really did not believe that you were being punished for not being a starter. Any time you tromped the field along with him in the profit game, it felt like, 'Male, we can easily take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind observing all these flashes click when the ball is being started. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the video game coming from the closet room really felt surreal. I have actually certainly never really felt just about anything like it. It resembled the flicks. There were Roman candlesticks being shot up plus all the embers were actually boiling down in slow mo. It totally had me annoyed out. I reached the side project as well as it felt like, 'Whoa, what only taken place?' And then our team gain the piece throw and we are actually obtaining. Talk about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I claimed if it enters the end area, get that reception for him. That's what remained in my mind due to the fact that it was never performed, had actually never been carried out before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my mind that he would certainly run a sphere back for a touchdown. It really didn't. I have actually possessed two of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Green Gulf Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he ran it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me just before, however at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually mosting likely to occur once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Prominence Game in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when our experts performed it. I assumed, our team'll place him in the edge, our team'll tackle him inside the 25 as well as our team'll really feel decent about ourselves. Which's absolutely not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that came out of my oral cavity [when he found the sphere moved his way] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and added field to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would certainly come to tackling him was security Marlin Jackson, who was inches away from Hester, that accelerated far from his grasp. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid developed a gap for Hester to blow past the very first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish company logo and also began 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 performed. He beat everybody whenever he carried out that. The center of the area was actually golden for Devin. They really did not intend to kick it down the center to Devin, however they relatively were actually thinking of it too much, and if you assume you are actually trumped. If they boot it down the center of the field, I recognized he was actually heading to credit rating." I kept speaking about him being in his yard [on the broadcast] I think I stated, 'From Riviera Seaside to the greatest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are ludicrous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind reaching a guy, it was possibly around the little Super Dish company logo. I damaged this guy as well as sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. And also when I turned around as well as I observed he was actually out and all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I said, 'Okay, I have actually come to go meet him.' So I simply removed on a dead sprint since I knew he was scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our 1st surge of individuals, then our company have a safety and security on each edge and also me in between. I recognized I was too distant coming from him. If I can obtain close good enough to him to a minimum of sluggish him down, perhaps the pursuit could possibly reach him. Yet he juked the piss away from me, too. That is actually the many things regarding Devin. When he possesses a bit of area, with that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 lawns for a goal along with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped as well as failed to touch him in any way, I was like 'damn.' It's comical because after one play, my jacket is dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open area, so I recognized best at that point and also there [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a situation where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary and had the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our company were in the available field, so I recognized he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was wondering why he was actually searching for later to find out that he was considering himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and merely tripped him up and also he detected the end region for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would advance the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, but the Colts took command in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the video game along with a goal and our team thought it was actually mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly didn't find yourself in this way, although our team appeared and our company acquired a pick right after that, very. Our team believed we possessed all type of momentum then and afterwards obviously it wound up moving on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I believe the something about that was it was actually the initial play of the video game. That actually done work in our benefit due to the fact that if it was anything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a challenging thing to bounce back coming from." But our team possessed four one-fourths to recoup and put that responsible for us. Therefore, for our team it was actually kind of like, 'All right, our experts attempted. Pity on our company and after that we can maintain it relocating currently.' Given that in the end, we understood offensively our team were actually visiting record more than seven factors, and also I understood defensively our team were going to maintain all of them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole team is ignited and also excited. Right now when they kick off to our company, their self defense is heading to be coming a million kilometers an hour given that the momentum is actually currently on their edge ... but the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left behind in the activity, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our team felt in one's bones that this is actually the guy that will trash the game for our company if we do not prevent that. And also definitely only viewing that very first play was actually verification of that. Allow's certainly not boot him another ball." Gilmore: "They got clever and also made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two profits because game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner supported this document.