.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn and also range of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester returned to his native South Florida for the most significant video game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually well on his way to ending up being the most ideal gain professional in NFL history.The previous second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually actually gotten first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Bowl tributes due to the opportunity the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- as well as league-high 47 punts along with three resulting in goals in 2006. He likewise came back 2 firsts for goals as well as scored after returning a missed out on basket 108 backyards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts had a lot of movie to examine as they organized Chicago's the majority of dangerous weapon. They had actually viewed Hester manage a punt back 83 yards for the green light goal to cap off a 20-point rebound win over the Cardinals. They experienced him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the very same activity to notch first gain goals of 94 and also 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin throw inside a stormy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and elected to obtain, the Colts delivered the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to dash where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 gardens away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD return of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The letdown from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to fade the play that accentuates Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will certainly be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the initial gamer elected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Prominence initially as a zing returner a gamer that sparked one of the best well-known moments in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl with a home phone call Some of the greatest zing returners ever switches 40 today.( by means of @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 strategy for Hester that revolved around him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive crews systems were the most explosive in the organization, the Colts rated 30th in kickoff insurance coverage and also 32nd in punt protection. Right here is actually exactly how that program inevitably accepted among the most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't a risky aggressive group. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However insurance coverage, come back, they had the very best exclusive staffs unit in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the greatest returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our experts were booting to the corners, our company're hopping the sphere, our company are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or we are actually punting away from bounds. Our team said, 'He is actually certainly not mosting likely to be actually an aspect. We assume our experts can handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his come backs for goals were puntings, not always kickoffs [Hester came back 3 punts and also pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the tactical plan was don't punt the round to him. Attempt to punt it 40 lawns, 45 lawns, away from bounds. Compromise some span but carry out certainly not permit him obtain the sphere in his hands." Our team thought of it the other means and also didn't wish to lose a lot of yardage on kickoff things, thus given that our team have actually acquired a couple of our starters in there, let's try to affix him in a corner and also find if our experts may overload that side and attempt to reduce his profit. We exercised that all week long. It had not been even like our team were paniced to kick a touchback. Our team were even more concerned regarding striking it over in the corner, and if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe yet it's definitely near to the sideline, then our team could possibly try to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our experts are actually not going to boot to him. He is actually too unsafe." Days before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a chapel service before the activity and also talked about David as well as Giant and also said, 'The explanation David succeeded is he had not been hesitant. All the other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I began thinking, am I putting fear in to our individuals' souls? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our team can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as anyone that the Colts were kicking to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the take it easy and created past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my thoughts and stated if our team shed the shake, we're visiting begin. Our experts're heading to boot it to him, and also I wish you to go down as well as pound him. And also when we take their champ down, that is actually going to send out a message similar to David." I referred to it with Russ Purnell, our special groups instructor, and certainly he stated we may cover, our experts may do this. Our company'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everybody desires to possess their minute. No one wants to head out there certainly and only say, 'Hey, our experts weren't part of this, or our company failed to support.' So it was mutual, yet at the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or even three days before the activity I rallied the fellas to convince Coach Dungy. I stated, 'Our company can handle him. Our experts'll be great.' You can tell [Dungy] regreted regarding performing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique teams planner: "Every video game that our team had, it was regularly a concern of who's visiting boot to him, that isn't visiting boot to him. We understood that they had actually talked about certainly not kicking to him, however we consistently supposed as a personnel that they were actually visiting kick to us in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Dish." That's what I told them Saturday night. I stated, 'They are actually heading to boot the sphere right to us.'" An unexpected storm relocated right into the Miami area on activity time and also discarded nearly one in of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester and the Bears kickoff profit crew trot onto the field to receive the opening zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his self-confidence when he took the field was unbelievable. We took a considerable amount of honor in blocking for him. Unique groups wasn't a chore. It failed to seem like you were actually being reprimanded for not being a starter. Whenever you tromped the area with him in the profit game, it felt like, 'Guy, our experts may take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind seeing all these flashes click when the ball is being began. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the game coming from the closet space felt surreal. I have actually never ever felt everything like it. It resembled the films. There were Classical candles being shot up and all the coal were boiling down in funeral pace. It absolutely possessed me pestered out. I came to the sideline and also it was like, 'Whoa, what merely occurred?' And after that our experts succeed the piece throw and our company are actually receiving. Refer to an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I stated if it uses the end area, acquire that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind considering that it was never ever performed, had actually never ever been done just before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it never entered my mind that he will rush a sphere back for a touchdown. It truly didn't. I have actually had two of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a goal. So it took place to me prior to, but at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to occur again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Venue of Fame Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's battle, quest 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 team'll tackle him inside the 25 and also our experts'll feel respectable about ourselves. Which is actually never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that came out of my mouth [when he saw the sphere headed his means] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as raised field to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would get to addressing him was actually security Marlin Jackson, that was inches out of Hester, who increased away from his grasp. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a space for Hester to blast past the first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo design and began running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I just knew it. That's what he did. He beat everybody every single time he performed that. The center of the industry was gold for Devin. They didn't want to kick it down the center to Devin, however they apparently were actually considering it excessive, and also if you think you're trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I knew he was actually going to rating." I kept discussing him being in his garden [on the program] I think I said, 'Coming from Riviera Seaside to the largest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ludicrous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind striking a fella, it was actually most likely around the little Super Bowl logo. I broke this man as well as type of saw [Devin] flashing through. As well as when I shifted as well as I observed he was out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I've come to go satisfy him.' So I only removed on a dead sprint since I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he surpassed our initial wave of men, after that we possess a security on each edge and also me in between. I knew I was too far from him. If I can get close sufficient to him to at the very least sluggish him down, perhaps the pursuit could possibly reach him. However he juked the piss out of me, too. That is actually the thing about Devin. When he has a little bit of space, keeping that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 yards for a goal along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I plunged and really did not touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It's hilarious because after one play, my shirt is dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was way too much available industry, so I knew right after that as well as certainly there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a circumstance where I was actually pinned to a sideline and had the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our experts resided in the open industry, so I knew he wasn't going to receive me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and Devin found. I was asking yourself why he was looking up later on to learn that he was actually examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also just stumbled him up as well as he tumbled into completion zone for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would certainly advance the upcoming ride as they opened a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took command in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the activity with a touchdown and our company presumed it was mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Really failed to end up in this way, although we emerged and also our company obtained a choice right after that, very. Our team thought our company possessed all sort of energy then and after that undoubtedly it wound up switching on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I presume the something about that was it was actually the initial play of the activity. That actually worked in our benefit due to the fact that if it was anything beyond that, like in in the 4th quarter, it will resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a tough trait to bounce back coming from." However our experts had 4 quarters to recover and also put that behind our team. So, for our team it was type of like, 'Okay, our team attempted. Embarassment on our team and then we can easily keep it relocating right now.' Since ultimately, we knew offensively our company were actually visiting record more than seven aspects, and also I knew defensively our company were actually heading to keep all of them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their entire group is ignited as well as thrilled. Right now when they begin to our company, their protection is heading to be actually coming a thousand kilometers an hour since the momentum is actually on their side ... but the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the video game, we knew it wasn't over by any means. We felt in one's bones that this is actually the man that will trash the ready our team if we do not protect against that. And also certainly merely enjoying that initial play was actually proof of that. Permit's not boot him one more round." Gilmore: "They obtained brilliant and decided to kick it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 returns in that game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner contributed to this file.