.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Utmost Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as a mixeds media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Florida for the greatest activity of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was well on his means to coming to be the greatest profit expert in NFL history.The past second-round pick, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had currently gotten first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Dish respects by the time the Bears advanced to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- as well as league-high 47 puntings along with 3 causing goals in 2006. He also returned two firsts for touchdowns and racked up after returning an overlooked basket 108 gardens versus the New York Giants.The Colts possessed plenty of film to examine as they organized Chicago's a lot of unsafe tool. They had actually seen Hester manage a punting back 83 backyards for the permission touchdown to cover off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They experienced 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 coin throw inside a stormy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and elected to receive, the Colts delivered the position first right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 few seconds to dash from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end line, 92 backyards away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD gain of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The letdown from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Hall of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the 1st player selected to the Pro Soccer Hall of Popularity initially as a zing returner a gamer that triggered among one of the most renowned minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl with a residence call One of the best kick returners ever switches 40 today.( via @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 put together a game plan for Hester that hinged on him not touching the ball. While the Bears' special teams systems were actually one of the most explosive in the organization, the Colts placed 30th in first coverage and also 32nd in punt protection. Listed here is actually how that strategy eventually yielded to among one of the most stimulating plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive group. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But insurance coverage, profits, they possessed the best unique crews system in the NFL. Pub none. And also the very best returner, perhaps in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our experts were actually kicking to the edges, our team're hopping the ball, our experts're squibbing it, our experts are actually punting high, or even our team are actually punting away from bounds. Our experts said, 'He is actually not visiting be actually an aspect. Our company assume we can easily handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his returns for touchdowns were actually puntings, certainly not necessarily kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings and also pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the game plan was actually do not punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 yards, forty five backyards, out of bounds. Sacrifice some span yet do not allow him receive the ball in his palms." We considered it the other way and failed to wish to compromise a ton of yardage on kickoff stuff, thus because we've acquired a couple of our starters in there, permit's make an effort to affix him in a corner and find if our team can overload that edge and also attempt to reduce his profit. Our experts engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't even like our company were actually stressed to kick a touchback. Our company were more concerned about attacking it over in the edge, and if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe however it is actually definitely close to the side project, at that point our company might attempt to container him in a bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team're not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually too harmful." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors offered a chapel solution prior to the game and referred to David as well as Giant as well as claimed, 'The factor David succeeded is he had not been worried. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I started presuming, am I putting worry in to our fellas' souls? Am I playing this wrong? Our company can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as any person that the Colts were actually stopping to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the kick back and also made past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I altered my thoughts as well as said if our company shed the throw, our company're heading to start. We're mosting likely to kick it to him, and I prefer you to go down and also pound him. And when our company knock their champion down, that's heading to send an information just like David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our unique groups instructor, and certainly he said our experts may deal with, we can do this. Our experts'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everyone wants to possess their instant. No person wants to head out there certainly and only say, 'Hey, our company weren't portion of this, or even our experts didn't support.' So it was mutual, however at the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or 3 times before the activity I moved the fellas to convince Train Dungy. I mentioned, 'Our team can easily handle him. Our experts'll be actually alright.' You can tell [Dungy] regreted regarding doing it, yet he feels like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs organizer: "Every video game that our team possessed, 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 actually talked about certainly not kicking to him, yet our experts constantly assumed as a staff that they were actually heading to kick to our company in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Saturday night. I claimed, 'They're visiting kick the round right to us.'" An unpredicted hurricane moved into the Miami area on video game time and discarded virtually one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester and the Bears first gain group trot onto the industry to receive the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a newbie, his confidence when he took the industry was actually unbelievable. Our experts took a bunch of honor in obstructing for him. Exclusive groups wasn't a task. It didn't think that you were being actually penalized for certainly not being actually a starter. At any time you stepped on the field with him in the yield video game, it resembled, 'Guy, we can easily get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I don't forget viewing all these flashes click when the sphere is actually being kicked off. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game coming from the locker area felt unique. I've never experienced everything like it. It resembled the films. There were actually Roman candle lights being skyrocketed plus all the ashes were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It entirely had me pestered out. I reached the side project and also it resembled, 'Whoa, what only taken place?' And then our experts succeed the piece shake and our team are actually getting. Refer to an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I stated if it goes in the end area, receive that reception for him. That's what was in my thoughts due to the fact that it was certainly never carried out, had certainly never been performed prior to." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my thoughts that he will run a sphere back for a goal. It really didn't. I have actually had 2 of all of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers large receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a goal. So it occurred to me prior to, however at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to happen again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Venue of Fame Activity in between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be telecasted on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when our team performed it. I assumed, our company'll place him in the edge, our company'll attack him inside the 25 and our experts'll feel decent about ourselves. And that is actually not what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that appeared of my mouth [when he viewed the round moved his way] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also ran up field to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector will reach tackling him was protection Marlin Jackson, who was ins off of Hester, that sped up off of his knowledge. The Bears' block featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the very first wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Dish company logo as well as began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He beat everybody each time he did that. The center of the industry was actually golden for Devin. They didn't desire to boot it down the middle to Devin, however they relatively were actually thinking of it a lot of, and also if you assume you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the center of the field, I recognized he was mosting likely to score." I always kept speaking about him being in his garden [on the program] I think I mentioned, 'From Riviera Coastline to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ludicrous.'" Harris: "I remember striking an individual, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl company logo. I nicked this fella and also sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. As well as when I shifted and also I observed he was out plus all the Colts white jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I've reached go fulfill him.' So I only removed on a dead sprint considering that I understood he was scoring." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our first wave of guys, after that our experts possess a security on each side as well as me between. I knew I was actually as well far away from him. If I could obtain close enough to him to at least sluggish him down, perhaps the quest can get to him. However he outwited the piss out of me, too. That's the many things about Devin. When he possesses a small amount of room, keeping that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 backyards for a goal along with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him in any way, I was like 'damn.' It's hilarious given that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually way too much available industry, so I knew correct at that point and there [after Vinatieri's try] It had not been a situation where I was pinned to a side project and also had the sideline working against me. We resided in the available industry, so I understood he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin found. I was asking yourself why he was actually seeking out later on to discover that he was checking out themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and merely slipped him up and he detected completion region for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum will continue on the next drive as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but 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 believed it was actually visiting be an ass-whipping. Really really did not end up by doing this, despite the fact that our company visited as well as our team obtained a choice right after that, too. Our company believed our company had all sort of drive then and after that definitely it ended up shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I assume the one point concerning that was it was the 1st play of the video game. That in fact operated in our benefit considering that if it was everything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a hard point to recover from." However our experts had 4 one-fourths to recover and also place that responsible for our team. Therefore, for our company it was kind of like, 'All right, our experts tried. Shame on our company and afterwards our team may keep it moving now.' Since ultimately, we knew offensively our company were actually heading to record much more than seven factors, and I recognized defensively our company were heading to maintain them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire crew is actually ignited and also thrilled. Now when they begin to us, their defense is actually going to be happening a thousand miles an hour because the drive is actually actually on their edge ... however the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the activity, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. We just knew that this is actually the guy that will wreck the game for our team if we don't protect against that. As well as undoubtedly just watching that initial play was actually verification of that. Allow's not kick him yet another sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired smart and also determined to kick it to John Gilmore. I had pair of returns because game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this report.