.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before switching over to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a constant panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Utmost Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Fla for the most significant activity of his life in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was properly on his method to ending up being the greatest return professional in NFL history.The previous second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually gained first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Dish honors by the time the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and league-high 47 puntings with 3 leading to touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back two kickoffs for touchdowns as well as scored after returning a skipped basket 108 gardens versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of movie to analyze as they organized Chicago's most unsafe item. They had observed Hester manage a punting back 83 gardens for the go-ahead goal to cap off a 20-point rebound get the Cardinals. They saw him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the exact same activity to notch kickoff gain touchdowns of 94 and also 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and elected to acquire, the Colts sent the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 secs to run from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end line, 92 gardens away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD yield of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The disappointment from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the 1st player chosen to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Fame initially as a zing returner a player who stimulated one of the most iconic moments in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Bowl along with a house phone call One of the greatest kick returners ever switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually created a strategy for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' special crews devices were actually one of the most eruptive in the league, the Colts rated 30th in first coverage and also 32nd in punt coverage. Below is how that plan essentially yielded to among the best thrilling plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't an unsafe aggressive crew. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. However coverage, profits, they had the best exclusive teams device in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the very best returner, most likely in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "We were booting to the edges, we're hopping the sphere, our team're squibbing it, our team're punting higher, or even our experts are actually punting out of bounds. Our company mentioned, 'He's certainly not visiting be a variable. Our company think our team can easily control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his profits for goals were actually punts, not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategy was actually don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, 45 lawns, away from bounds. Give up some range however perform not permit him receive the round in his hands." We thought of it the other way and also didn't intend to give up a lots of yardage on first things, thus due to the fact that our experts have actually got a number of our beginners in there, allow's attempt to affix him behind-the-scenes and observe if our experts can easily overload that side and attempt to minimize his profit. We exercised that all week long. It had not been even like our team were actually stressed to kick a touchback. Our experts were more worried regarding striking it over in the edge, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it's truly close to the subsidiary, after that we could possibly attempt to carton him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategy was we are actually not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually also hazardous." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains offered a church company just before the game as well as discussed David and Goliath as well as mentioned, 'The explanation David prospered is he wasn't hesitant. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I started thinking, am I placing worry in to our fellas' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? We can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as anybody that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the sit back and made past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind as well as claimed if our team lose the throw, our team're mosting likely to start. We're visiting boot it to him, and also I desire you to go down and also extra pound him. And also when our experts take their champ down, that is actually going to send out a message just like David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive staffs train, and also of course he mentioned our company can easily deal with, we can possibly do this. Our team'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everybody intends to have their minute. Nobody would like to walk out there and also just mention, 'Hey, our team weren't aspect of this, or even our company really did not contribute.' So it was actually common, however in the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or 3 days prior to the activity I rallied the men to entice Train Dungy. I pointed out, 'Our company can easily handle him. Our team'll be fine.' You might tell [Dungy] worried about performing it, however he's like: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears special crews planner: "Every game that our experts had, it was regularly a question of who is actually visiting kick to him, who isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had talked about certainly not kicking to him, but we consistently presumed as a workers that they were actually mosting likely to boot to our team in the Super Bowl even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Saturday evening. I said, 'They are actually going to boot the ball right to our team.'" An unforeseen tornado relocated in to the Miami region on game day and dumped nearly one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 enjoyed Hester and also the Bears first return group trot onto the industry to acquire the opening zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a newbie, his peace of mind when he took the field was unreal. We took a considerable amount of pride in blocking out for him. Unique staffs had not been a chore. It didn't think that you were actually being reprimanded for not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the field with him in the gain game, it resembled, 'Guy, our experts can get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I always remember viewing all these flashes hit when the sphere is actually being actually began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the video game from the locker space felt unique. I've never ever felt just about anything like it. It resembled the motion pictures. There were Classical candlesticks being actually soared and all the embers were coming down in funeral pace. It absolutely possessed me bugged out. I got to the subsidiary as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And then our experts gain the piece shake as well as our experts are actually obtaining. Speak about an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I said if it goes in the end region, obtain that reception for him. That's what was in my thoughts considering that it was certainly never carried out, had never been performed just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it certainly never entered my mind that he would certainly run a round back for a touchdown. It definitely failed to. I've possessed two of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers broad receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] and also he operated it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me just before, but at no time was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to occur again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Prominence Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when we did it. I believed, we'll put him in the edge, our team'll tackle him inside the 25 and our company'll experience good concerning our own selves. And that's absolutely not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my mouth [when he viewed the sphere moved his means] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and ran up area to the 20. The closest a Colts defender would reach addressing him was actually security Marlin Jackson, that was ins out of Hester, who sped up far from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blast past the initial surge of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish logo design and started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the field, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He outran everybody each time he did that. The center of the area was actually golden for Devin. They really did not would like to boot it down the mid to Devin, however they relatively were considering it too much, and also if you believe you are actually beat. If they kick it down the center of the industry, I knew he was actually going to credit rating." I always kept speaking about him residing in his lawn [on the broadcast] I feel I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Seaside to the biggest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I don't forget striking a man, it was actually possibly around the little bit of Super Bowl logo design. I chipped this guy as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off through. And when I reversed and also I saw he was out plus all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I've reached go satisfy him.' So I simply took off on a lifeless sprint given that I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "When he got past our first surge of individuals, then we have a safety on each side and me in between. I recognized I was actually too distant coming from him. If I can acquire close enough to him to at least sluggish him down, perhaps the quest might come to him. Yet he outwited the piss away from me, too. That's the many things concerning Devin. When he has a little of area, with that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a goal with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as failed to touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It's amusing due to the fact that after one play, my jersey is actually dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive open field, so I knew appropriate then and there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a condition where I was affixed to a sideline and also had the sideline antagonizing me. We resided in the available area, so I knew he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin looked up. I was actually thinking about why he was searching for later to discover that he was looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as merely tripped him up and he tumbled into completion area for the goal." The Bears' energy would continue the following drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took management in the 2nd zone for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the game along with a goal as well as our experts thought it was actually going to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly failed to wind up this way, although our company appeared and also our experts acquired a choice right afterwards, very. Our company presumed our company had all type of energy then and then certainly it wound up moving on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I believe the one point about that was it was the very first play of the video game. That really done work in our perk given that if it was actually anything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be a tough point to recoup from." However we had four one-fourths to recuperate and also place that responsible for our company. Therefore, for us it was kind of like, 'Okay, we made an effort. Embarassment on our company and after that our team can keep it relocating currently.' Because in the long run, we knew offensively our experts were actually heading to count greater than 7 factors, and I knew defensively our team were actually going to maintain all of them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole team is fired up and also excited. Right now when they begin to us, their protection is actually heading to be happening a million miles a hr because the drive is actually actually on their edge ... but the fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the video game, we understood it had not been over by any means. Our team just knew that this is actually the fella that is going to damage the ready our company if our team do not avoid that. And clearly only viewing that very first play was actually evidence of that. Let's not kick him yet another round." Gilmore: "They got clever as well as decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two returns in that video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner added to this file.