.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a constant panelist on Around the Horn as well as host of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She earlier operated at the San Jose Mercury Updates as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Fla for the biggest video game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was effectively on his method to coming to be the most effective gain expert in NFL history.The previous second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already gained first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Dish tributes due to the time the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a job- and league-high 47 punts with three resulting in touchdowns in 2006. He also returned pair of kickoffs for goals as well as racked up after returning an overlooked field goal 108 yards versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had a lot of film to examine as they organized Chicago's a lot of risky weapon. They had viewed Hester operate a punting back 83 yards for the okay goal to cap off a 20-point resurgence draw the Cardinals. They observed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same video game to scratch kickoff gain goals of 94 and 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece toss inside a stormy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to receive, the Colts sent out the opening first right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to sprint from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end line, 92 lawns away, all while enjoying themself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD return of a position kickoff in Super Dish history.The disappointment from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little bit of to vanish the play that highlights Hester's Hall of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the very first gamer chosen to the Pro Football Venue of Fame first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer that stimulated one of the most well-known seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Bowl with a residence telephone call Among the best kick returners ever transforms 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually created a tactical plan for Hester that revolved around him not touching the sphere. While the Bears' special groups systems were the most explosive in the game, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt coverage. Listed here is actually just how that planning essentially accepted among the best thrilling plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't an unsafe offensive team. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, profits, they possessed the most effective unique teams system in the NFL. Bar none. As well as the very best returner, possibly in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "Our experts were kicking to the edges, our experts're bouncing the sphere, our company're squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our company are actually punting away from bounds. We mentioned, 'He is actually not mosting likely to be actually an aspect. Our company think our team may handle their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his come backs for goals were puntings, not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings and 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the game plan was actually do not punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, forty five backyards, away from bounds. Give up some span however perform not allow him acquire the ball in his hands." Our team thought about it the various other way and also didn't want to lose a lots of yardage on kickoff things, so considering that we've received a number of our beginners therein, let's attempt to affix him behind-the-scenes as well as observe if our team can easily overload that edge and also attempt to lessen his return. Our experts performed that all full week long. It had not been even like our experts were actually worried to kick a touchback. We were more anxious about reaching it over in the edge, and also if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it is actually actually close to the side project, at that point our team could attempt to box him in a little." Reid: "The strategic plan was our team're not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually as well unsafe." Times before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains provided a chapel service just before the activity as well as referred to David and Goliath as well as pointed out, 'The reason David succeeded is he wasn't afraid. All the other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I started believing, am I putting worry right into our men' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our experts can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as startled as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the take it easy and brought in past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my mind and also pointed out if our company shed the toss, our experts are actually visiting begin. Our experts are actually going to boot it to him, as well as I wish you to decrease and extra pound him. And also when our experts knock their champ down, that's heading to deliver a message similar to David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique groups trainer, and also certainly he said our company can easily deal with, our experts can do this. Our company'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wishes to possess their instant. Nobody wants to go out there as well as merely mention, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or our company didn't assist.' So it was reciprocal, however in the end of the day, it was my selection." Reid: "Two or even three times just before the game I rallied the men to persuade Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our experts can handle him. Our company'll be fine.' You might say to [Dungy] worried regarding performing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you guys.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique groups organizer: "Every video game that our company had, it was regularly an inquiry of who's going to kick to him, who isn't heading to kick to him. We understood that they had talked about certainly not booting to him, but our company consistently assumed as a staff that they were actually visiting kick to us in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I told them Saturday evening. I stated, 'They are actually mosting likely to boot the ball right to our team.'" An unanticipated tornado relocated in to the Miami place on activity day as well as disposed nearly one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears kickoff return group trot onto the industry to get the opening kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his confidence when he took the area was actually unreal. Our experts took a considerable amount of honor in shutting out for him. Special teams had not been a job. It didn't believe that you were being punished for certainly not being a starter. At any time you tromped the field along with him in the yield game, it was like, 'Guy, our experts may take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I remember finding all these flashes click on when the round is actually being started. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the closet space really felt surreal. I have actually never really felt everything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were actually Classical candlesticks being actually shot up and all the embers were boiling down in slow mo. It entirely had me annoyed out. I reached the side project and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply happened?' And afterwards our experts succeed the coin throw and also our experts are actually receiving. Refer to an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices supervisor: "I pointed out if it goes in completion area, acquire that reception for him. That's what resided in my mind considering that it was actually certainly never carried out, had actually never been performed before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would rush a sphere back for a goal. It definitely didn't. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Veggie Gulf Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he functioned it back for a goal. So it took place to me before, yet at no opportunity was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually going to take place once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Video Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places spin on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been horrendous when we performed it. I presumed, our team'll put him in the section, our company'll attack him inside the 25 as well as we'll experience pretty good regarding our own selves. Which's absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my oral cavity [when he saw the ball moved his means] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly reach addressing him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, that was ins out of Hester, who sped up off of his knowledge. The Bears' block including Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blast past the initial wave of Indianapolis protectors as he neared the Super Bowl company logo as well as began dashing parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He beat everyone every time he did that. The center of the area was gold for Devin. They didn't desire to boot it down the center to Devin, but they apparently were thinking of it way too much, and if you assume you are actually trumped. If they boot it down the middle of the area, I knew he was mosting likely to rating." I kept discussing him being in his yard [on the program] I think I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Seashore to the biggest phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are outrageous.'" Harris: "I remember hitting a person, it was actually possibly around the little bit of Super Dish logo. I cracked this man and sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. And when I reversed as well as I saw he was actually out and all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'All right, I have actually got to go satisfy him.' So I merely removed on a dead sprint because I understood he was scoring." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our 1st wave of people, after that our experts possess a safety and security on each side and also me between. I recognized I was actually too distant from him. If I might receive close good enough to him to at the very least slow him down, maybe the interest could possibly come to him. Yet he outwited the piss out of me, also. That's the important things about Devin. When he possesses a bit of room, keeping that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 yards for a touchdown along with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It's funny because after one play, my jacket is dirtier than anybody's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive open industry, so I knew appropriate then and there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a scenario where I was pinned to a side project as well as had the sideline working against me. We remained in the available area, so I recognized he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I don't forget [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin sought out. I was thinking about why he was actually seeking out later to find out that he was actually taking a look at themself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as merely stumbled him up and also he tumbled into the end region for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum would certainly advance the upcoming travel as they opened up a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took command in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the game along with a touchdown as well as our company assumed it was going to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually failed to end up in this way, even though our company appeared as well as we acquired a selection right after that, too. We presumed our company possessed all type of energy at that point and then obviously it found yourself moving on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I think the the main thing about that was it was the first play of the activity. That in fact done work in our advantage considering that if it was actually everything behind that, like in in the fourth quarter, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a tough trait to recuperate coming from." Yet our experts possessed 4 quarters to bounce back and place that responsible for us. Therefore, for our team it was actually sort of like, 'All right, we made an effort. Shame on us and then we may maintain it relocating currently.' Because in the end, we knew offensively we were actually mosting likely to record more than seven factors, and I recognized defensively our company were mosting likely to keep them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire staff is actually fired up as well as delighted. Right now when they kick off to our team, their defense is visiting be actually happening a million kilometers an hour given that the energy is actually actually on their edge ... yet the fact that there was still 59 1/2 moments left in the activity, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team just knew that this is the man that will certainly ravage the ready us if we do not prevent that. And clearly only seeing that very first play was actually evidence of that. Permit's certainly not boot him an additional sphere." Gilmore: "They got brilliant as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two profits in that activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the position first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this file.