.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as host 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 Updates as a multimedia sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the greatest activity of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was effectively on his method 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 actually made first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Bowl respects by the time the Bears evolved to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back a job- and league-high 47 punts along with three causing touchdowns in 2006. He also returned two kickoffs for goals and also racked up after coming back an overlooked field goal 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had loads of movie to analyze as they prepared for Chicago's most hazardous item. They had found Hester run a punt back 83 gardens for the okay touchdown to cap off a 20-point return sway the Cardinals. They observed him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the very same game to mark first gain touchdowns of 94 and 96 lawns, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin throw inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as selected to acquire, the Colts sent the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to sprint where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end line, 92 yards away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD return of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The setback coming from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the very first player elected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Prominence first and foremost as a zing returner a player who stimulated some of the absolute most legendary moments in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Dish with a residence telephone call Some of the greatest zing returners ever turns 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually produced a game plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive groups units were actually the absolute most explosive in the game, the Colts placed 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed below is just how that planning ultimately accepted one of the best fantastic plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive team. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet protection, come back, they had the very best unique staffs device in the NFL. Bar none. And the very best returner, perhaps in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "We were actually kicking to the corners, our experts're bouncing the ball, our team're squibbing it, our team are actually punting higher, or even our company are actually punting away from bounds. Our experts pointed out, 'He is actually not going to be an aspect. Our team presume we can easily regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his returns for goals were actually punts, certainly not always kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the game plan was don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some proximity however perform certainly not allow him receive the ball in his hands." Our experts thought of it the various other technique and also really did not desire to sacrifice a lot of yardage on first stuff, therefore because we've acquired a number of our starters in there, let's try to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as view if our team can overload that edge as well as attempt to decrease his return. Our experts practiced that all full week long. It had not been even like we were stressed to boot a touchback. Our company were actually more anxious regarding attacking it over in the corner, and also if he records it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it is actually truly near to the subsidiary, then we could try to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The game plan was our experts're certainly not heading to kick to him. He's also unsafe." Days prior to the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a church service just before the activity as well as referred to David and also Giant as well as claimed, 'The cause David was successful is he wasn't worried. All the other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I started assuming, am I putting worry right into our people' souls? Am I playing this incorrect? Our experts can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as any person that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the take it easy as well as brought in background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my mind and also mentioned if our team drop the toss, our company're heading to start. Our experts are actually going to kick it to him, as well as I prefer you to drop and extra pound him. And when our team knock their champion down, that's mosting likely to send a message similar to David." I discussed it with Russ Purnell, our unique crews coach, as well as of course he mentioned our experts may deal with, our experts may do this. Our team'll receive him in the Super Bowl. Everyone intends to possess their moment. No one intends to head out certainly there as well as simply say, 'Hey, our experts weren't component of this, or our company didn't assist.' So it was actually common, but in the end of the time, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or even three days just before the video game I moved the guys to entice Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'We can easily handle him. Our company'll be great.' You can say to [Dungy] regreted regarding performing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive teams organizer: "Every activity that our team had, it was regularly a question of who is actually visiting kick to him, that isn't heading to boot to him. We knew that they had talked about certainly not booting to him, but our experts regularly assumed as a workers that they were visiting kick to our team in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Sunday evening. I stated, 'They are actually going to kick the ball right to our company.'" An unanticipated tornado moved in to the Miami region on game day as well as poured almost one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 watched Hester as well as the Bears kickoff return staff trot onto the area to receive the opening kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a novice, his assurance when he took the area was unreal. Our team took a ton of pleasure in blocking out for him. Unique groups wasn't a duty. It didn't think that you were actually being penalized for not being a starter. Whenever you stepped on the field along with him in the yield video game, it felt like, 'Man, we can get it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears protection: "This is pre-smartphones. I keep in mind finding all these flashes click on when the sphere is actually being began. That was unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game coming from the storage locker area felt unique. I have actually certainly never really felt anything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were actually Roman candles being soared and all the embers were coming down in funeral pace. It completely had me badgered out. I came to the subsidiary as well as it was like, 'Whoa, what only occurred?' And afterwards our company succeed the coin shake and also our company are actually receiving. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears tools manager: "I said if it goes in completion region, receive that ball for him. That's what resided in my mind given that it was actually never ever performed, had certainly never been actually done just before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my mind that he would certainly dash a round back for a goal. It really didn't. I've had two of all of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Gulf Packers vast receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he operated it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me just before, but at no opportunity was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's going to happen once more.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Hall of Prominence Game between the Bears as well as Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be aired on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't fearful when we did it. I thought, our team'll put him in the edge, our experts'll tackle him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll really feel respectable regarding ourselves. And also is actually absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my oral cavity [when he observed the sphere headed his method] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and added industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian will get to addressing him was safety Marlin Jackson, that was ins out of Hester, that increased far from his realization. The Bears' block containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid developed a space for Hester to blast past the very first wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish company logo and also started running parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He beat everybody every single time he performed that. The middle of the area was gold for Devin. They really did not intend to kick it down the mid to Devin, but they relatively were thinking about it excessive, and also if you believe you're beat. If they boot it down the middle of the area, I understood he was visiting credit rating." I maintained talking about him remaining in his backyard [on the show] I feel I claimed, 'From Riviera Seaside to the greatest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are outrageous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind reaching a person, it was actually probably around the little bit of Super Bowl logo design. I damaged this individual as well as sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. As well as when I turned around and also I found he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I've got to go fulfill him.' So I just took off on a dead sprint considering that I recognized he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our initial wave of individuals, after that our team possess a safety on each edge and me in between. I recognized I was too far away from him. If I can obtain close good enough to him to at least slow-moving him down, possibly the search could possibly come to him. Yet he outwited the piss away from me, too. That is actually the important things regarding Devin. When he possesses a little of area, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 lawns for a goal along with the position kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and really did not touch him in all, I resembled 'damn.' It is actually amusing considering that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was way too much available field, so I understood appropriate at that point as well as there [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a condition where I was actually affixed to a subsidiary as well as had the side project antagonizing me. Our company were in the available field, so I knew he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin sought out. I was asking yourself why he was actually looking up eventually to learn that he was actually looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as simply slipped him up as well as he detected the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' drive would certainly advance the next travel as they opened up a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took management in the second part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts started the activity along with a touchdown and also our team thought it was visiting be actually an ass-whipping. Truly failed to wind up in this way, even though our experts emerged as well as we obtained a pick right afterwards, extremely. Our company presumed our company possessed all kinds of drive at that point and afterwards certainly it found yourself shifting on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I believe the something about that was it was actually the initial play of the video game. That in fact functioned in our benefit due to the fact that if it was actually everything later than that, like in in the 4th quarter, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a difficult thing to bounce back coming from." However we possessed 4 one-fourths to recoup and put that behind us. Therefore, for us it was actually kind of like, 'All right, our company attempted. Embarassment on our team and then our company can easily keep it relocating currently.' Due to the fact that in the long run, we understood offensively our company were actually heading to record more than seven aspects, and I knew defensively our experts were actually going to maintain all of them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their whole crew is ignited as well as delighted. Right now when they kick off to us, their protection is heading to be actually coming a thousand miles an hour since the momentum is presently on their edge ... however the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left in the activity, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. Our experts just knew that this is the individual that will certainly trash the game for our company if our company don't avoid that. As well as certainly simply seeing that very first play was actually evidence of that. Let's certainly not kick him one more sphere." Gilmore: "They acquired clever and also made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two yields in that game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this report.