.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings just before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the greatest video game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was properly on his method to ending up being the very best gain specialist in NFL history.The past second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually already made first-team All-Pro awareness as well as Pro Bowl tributes due to the opportunity the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- and also league-high 47 punts along with three leading to goals in 2006. He additionally came back two kickoffs for touchdowns and scored after returning a missed field goal 108 backyards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of film to research as they prepared for Chicago's most risky item. They had observed Hester run a punting back 83 yards for the consent touchdown to top off a 20-point comeback get the Cardinals. They saw him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same game to notch kickoff profit goals of 94 as well as 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece throw inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to acquire, the Colts sent the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 secs to sprint from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD yield 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 vanish the play that draws attention to Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will definitely be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the 1st gamer selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Prominence first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer that triggered one of the best famous seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester truly began the Super Dish along with a residence telephone call One of the greatest kick returners ever turns 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually put together a strategic plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' special groups systems were the most explosive in the game, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff insurance coverage and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Here is actually exactly how that strategy eventually accepted among the most impressive plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a harmful offensive staff. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. However protection, come back, they had the best special groups system in the NFL. Club none. And the greatest returner, most likely in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "We were actually booting to the corners, we are actually hopping the round, our team are actually squibbing it, our team're punting higher, or our experts're punting away from bounds. Our company claimed, 'He is actually certainly not going to be a factor. Our company presume our experts may regulate their offense.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his come backs for goals were puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings and also 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategic plan was do not punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 lawns, forty five backyards, out of bounds. Give up some span however do certainly not let him acquire the round in his palms." Our experts thought about it the various other way and didn't intend to sacrifice a lot of yardage on kickoff things, thus since we have actually obtained a number of our starters therein, permit's try to affix him in a corner as well as see if we may overload that side as well as try to decrease his yield. Our experts exercised that all full week long. It had not been also like our team were actually worried to boot a touchback. Our experts were more anxious about striking it over in the edge, and if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it is actually truly near the sideline, at that point our company could possibly try to carton him in a little." Reid: "The tactical plan was our company're certainly not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually too harmful." Days prior to the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors provided a church solution before the activity as well as talked about David and Goliath and also mentioned, 'The main reason David succeeded is he had not been terrified. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I putting fear into our fellas' hearts? Am I playing this incorrect? We can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as shocked as any person that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the take it easy and also made past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind and pointed out if we shed the throw, our experts are actually going to kick off. Our experts're heading to kick it to him, and also I want you to go down as well as extra pound him. And when our company take their champion down, that is actually visiting send a message similar to David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our special teams train, and obviously he mentioned we can easily cover, our team may do this. Our experts'll acquire him in the Super Dish. Everybody intends to possess their minute. Nobody intends to head out there as well as only claim, 'Hey, our team weren't aspect of this, or even our team didn't contribute.' So it was actually common, yet in the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "2 or even 3 times before the activity I rallied the fellas to entice Train Dungy. I said, 'Our team may handle him. Our experts'll be actually alright.' You could say to [Dungy] felt uneasy concerning performing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive crews planner: "Every game that our company had, it was actually regularly a question of who's heading to boot to him, that isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had spoken about not kicking to him, but our company constantly presumed as a personnel that they were actually heading to boot to us in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Sunday evening. I pointed out, 'They are actually going to kick the ball right to our company.'" An unpredicted hurricane relocated into the Miami location on activity time and ditched nearly one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 watched Hester as well as the Bears first yield crew trot onto the field to receive the position kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a rookie, his peace of mind when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our experts took a ton of honor in blocking for him. Unique groups wasn't a chore. It really did not think that you were being actually punished for certainly not being a starter. Whenever you stepped on the field along with him in the yield game, it was like, 'Male, our team can easily get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind seeing all these flashes hit when the round is actually being began. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the video game coming from the locker room experienced unique. I have actually never ever felt just about anything like it. It was like the motion pictures. There were Roman candles being shot up plus all the cinders were boiling down in slow mo. It entirely possessed me annoyed out. I reached the side project and also it was like, 'Whoa, what merely occurred?' And after that our experts win the piece shake and also our company are actually receiving. Discuss an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I mentioned if it enters completion area, obtain that ball for him. That's what remained in my thoughts because it was actually certainly never performed, had actually never been actually carried out prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my mind that he would run a sphere back for a goal. It really didn't. I've had two of all of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Green Bay Packers large receiver/return specialist Desmond Howard] and also he operated it back for a touchdown. So it took place to me just before, yet at no time was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's going to occur once again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Hall of Fame Game in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will certainly be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when we did it. I thought, our team'll put him in the section, our experts'll tackle him inside the 25 and also our team'll really feel respectable regarding ourselves. And also's not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that came out of my oral cavity [when he saw the ball headed his way] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester got Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as ran up field to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender will reach handling him was security Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches out of Hester, who sped up off of his understanding. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid generated a space for Hester to blast past the very first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl company logo and began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the field, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He outran everybody every single time he performed that. The center of the area was actually golden for Devin. They didn't would like to kick it down the middle to Devin, yet they seemingly were thinking about it excessive, as well as if you presume you're beat. If they boot it down the middle of the industry, I recognized he was actually mosting likely to credit rating." I kept discussing him residing in his lawn [on the broadcast] I believe I pointed out, 'From Riviera Coastline to the most significant stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are absurd.'" Harris: "I bear in mind hitting a guy, it was actually probably around the little Super Bowl logo design. I cracked this person and sort of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I shifted and I observed he was out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I mentioned, 'All right, I've come to go fulfill him.' So I merely removed on a lifeless sprint considering that I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he surpassed our very first surge of people, at that point we have a protection on each edge as well as me in the center. I knew I was as well far away coming from him. If I can acquire close good enough to him to at least slow-moving him down, maybe the interest could get to him. But he juked the piss away from me, too. That is actually the thing concerning Devin. When he has a little of area, keeping that vision, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 lawns for a touchdown with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and failed to touch him at all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious due to the fact that after one play, my shirt is dirtier than anybody's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much open area, so I knew best then and there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a situation where I was pinned to a subsidiary and had the subsidiary working against me. Our team were in the available area, so I understood he wasn't going to obtain me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin found. I was actually asking yourself why he was actually finding later on to find out that he was considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and merely tripped him up and he tumbled into the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum would certainly continue the upcoming ride as they opened up a 14-6 top, however the Colts took control in the 2nd part for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the game with a touchdown as well as our company believed it was visiting be an ass-whipping. Actually didn't wind up by doing this, despite the fact that our team appeared and our company acquired a selection right afterwards, too. Our company assumed our experts possessed all sort of momentum then and then undoubtedly it found yourself switching on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the one point regarding that was it was actually the 1st play of the game. That really done work in our advantage since if it was everything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my The lord!' It will be actually a challenging thing to recoup coming from." However our company had 4 one-fourths to recover and place that responsible for our company. So, for our team it was sort of like, 'Okay, we attempted. Shame on our company and then our company can maintain it relocating now.' Considering that eventually, we understood offensively our team were actually heading to rack up greater than seven points, as well as I understood defensively our team were going to maintain them from recording." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is ignited and also excited. Now when they begin to us, their defense is going to be coming a million miles a hr because the energy is actually actually on their side ... however the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 moments left in the activity, we understood it wasn't over by any means. Our team just knew that this is the guy that will definitely damage the ready our company if our company don't prevent that. And obviously merely seeing that first play was actually evidence of that. Permit's certainly not kick him an additional ball." Gilmore: "They got intelligent as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed 2 returns because video game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner brought about this record.