.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and range of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his native South Florida for the most significant activity of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was well on his way to becoming the greatest gain specialist in NFL history.The previous second-round choice, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already gained first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and Pro Dish respects due to the opportunity the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- as well as league-high 47 punts along with three resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back pair of kickoffs for touchdowns as well as racked up after coming back an overlooked basket 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had plenty of movie to examine as they prepared for Chicago's a lot of harmful item. They had seen Hester run a punt back 83 gardens for the permission touchdown to top off a 20-point resurgence gain the Cardinals. They observed him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the very same video game to notch kickoff yield touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin throw inside a stormy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and elected to get, the Colts delivered the position first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 few seconds to sprint where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 yards away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD gain of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The disappointment from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts performed little to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will be actually preserved in Canton this weekend as the initial gamer selected to the Pro Soccer Venue of Prominence primarily as a kick returner a gamer who sparked some of the most well-known moments in NFL history.Devin Hester truly began the Super Bowl with a property phone call One of the greatest zing returners ever turns 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually put together a strategy for Hester that revolved around him not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive groups systems were actually one of the most explosive in the organization, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff coverage and 32nd in punt coverage. Below is actually exactly how that strategy inevitably yielded to one of the most thrilling plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a dangerous offensive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, profits, they possessed the greatest unique crews device in the NFL. Club none. As well as the most ideal returner, probably in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our experts were booting to the edges, our team're hopping the sphere, our experts're squibbing it, our experts are actually punting high, or even our company're punting out of bounds. Our experts stated, 'He is actually not going to be a factor. Our team believe our team can manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for touchdowns were actually punts, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three punts and 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the strategy was don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 backyards, forty five backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some range however perform certainly not permit him acquire the ball in his hands." Our company thought about it the various other means and didn't desire to give up a lot of yardage on kickoff things, so considering that we have actually got a couple of our starters in there, let's make an effort to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as observe if our company can easily overload that edge and also try to reduce his return. Our experts exercised that all week long. It wasn't also like our experts were actually stressed to boot a touchback. Our team were more worried regarding attacking it over in the section, and also if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line but it is actually definitely close to the side project, at that point our experts could attempt to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team're not heading to kick to him. He's too hazardous." Days before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains offered a church service before the activity as well as referred to David and also Giant as well as said, 'The cause David was successful is he wasn't hesitant. All the other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I placing anxiety in to our men' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our experts can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as anybody that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the unwind as well as created record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my thoughts and pointed out if our team shed the shake, we're mosting likely to start. Our team are actually visiting boot it to him, and also I desire you to drop and extra pound him. And also when our company take their champ down, that is actually mosting likely to deliver a message similar to David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our special crews trainer, and naturally he claimed we may deal with, our experts can do this. Our experts'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody would like to possess their instant. Nobody wants to head out there certainly as well as just claim, 'Hey, our experts weren't component of this, or even our experts didn't contribute.' So it was actually shared, but by the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or even 3 times prior to the game I moved the people to entice Train Dungy. I said, 'Our company can easily manage him. We'll be actually fine.' You might say to [Dungy] felt uneasy about doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears special teams coordinator: "Every activity that our company had, it was regularly a question of who is actually mosting likely to boot to him, that isn't mosting likely to kick to him. We knew that they had spoken about not booting to him, yet we consistently supposed as a workers that they were actually going to boot to our company in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told all of them Saturday night. I mentioned, 'They're visiting boot the ball right to our team.'" An unexpected storm moved into the Miami area on activity day and also ditched almost one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 seen Hester as well as the Bears first yield team trot onto the area to acquire the opening zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the field was unreal. Our company took a bunch of pride in obstructing for him. Special staffs wasn't a duty. It failed to feel like you were being actually disciplined for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you stepped on the field along with him in the profit video game, it felt like, 'Male, our company may get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I remember viewing all these flashes click on when the sphere is being actually began. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity from the closet area experienced unique. I've never experienced everything like it. It resembled the movies. There were Roman candles being actually skyrocketed and all the embers were coming down in funeral pace. It completely possessed me pestered out. I reached the subsidiary and it resembled, 'Whoa, what merely happened?' And afterwards our team win the piece toss and our experts are actually obtaining. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I pointed out if it uses completion region, receive that ball for him. That's what resided in my thoughts because it was actually never done, had certainly never been done before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it never ever entered my mind that he will run a ball back for a goal. It actually failed to. I've possessed two of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a goal. So it happened to me prior to, but at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to occur again.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Hall of Popularity Activity between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be telecasted on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's battle, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our team did it. I thought, we'll put him in the corner, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 and we'll experience respectable regarding ourselves. Which is actually not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that showed up of my mouth [when he found the round moved his technique] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and ran up field to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly come to addressing him was actually protection Marlin Jackson, that was ins out of Hester, who increased off of his understanding. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blow past the first surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and began running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the field, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He eluded everyone every time he carried out that. The center of the field was golden for Devin. They didn't wish to boot it down the center to Devin, but they relatively were actually thinking about it a lot of, and if you presume you're trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the field, I understood he was going to credit rating." I always kept speaking about him remaining in his yard [on the program] I think I said, 'From Riviera Beach front to the biggest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are preposterous.'" Harris: "I always remember attacking an individual, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl logo. I damaged this guy and also sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I reversed and also I observed he was actually out and all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I've reached go meet him.' So I only took off on a dead sprint due to the fact that I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our very first wave of guys, then our company have a protection on each side and me in the center. I understood I was too far away coming from him. If I can acquire close good enough to him to at least sluggish him down, possibly the quest could possibly get to him. But he juked the piss away from me, too. That's things concerning Devin. When he possesses a little bit of room, with that said dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 yards for a touchdown with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped as well as really did not touch him in any way, I was like 'damn.' It is actually funny due to the fact that after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was way too much available area, so I recognized ideal after that as well as there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a scenario where I was pinned to a sideline and also had the side project working against me. Our team remained in the open field, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin looked up. I was actually thinking about why he was actually seeking out later to discover that he was taking a look at themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him as well as only tripped him up and also he tumbled into completion area for the goal." The Bears' momentum will continue on the upcoming ride as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the 2nd region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the video game along with a goal as well as our experts assumed it was visiting be actually an ass-whipping. Really really did not wind up by doing this, although our team visited and also our company got a choice right after that, too. Our team presumed our team had all sort of momentum at that point and afterwards certainly it ended up shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I presume the one thing regarding that was it was actually the first play of the activity. 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 resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would be a hard factor to recover from." Yet our experts had four fourths to recover and place that behind us. Therefore, for our team it was kind of like, 'All right, we attempted. Embarassment on us and afterwards we can easily keep it moving currently.' Since in the long run, we understood offensively we were visiting record much more than 7 aspects, and I knew defensively our experts were actually visiting maintain all of them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire team is fired up as well as thrilled. Currently when they kick off to us, their self defense is actually heading to be actually coming a thousand miles a hr given that the energy is actually already on their side ... however the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the video game, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is actually the fella that will trash the ready us if our team do not prevent that. As well as clearly simply seeing that first play was evidence of that. Let's certainly not boot him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They acquired wise as well as determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of profits during that video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner added to this report.