.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching 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 Before on ESPN Radio. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the time Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Florida for the largest game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually effectively on his way to ending up being the very best profit professional in NFL history.The past second-round selection, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had currently made first-team All-Pro awareness and also Pro Bowl honors by the time the Bears evolved 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 additionally returned 2 kickoffs for touchdowns and also racked up after coming back a skipped field goal 108 lawns versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had a lot of movie to examine as they got ready for Chicago's a lot of risky weapon. They had found Hester operate a punting back 83 yards for the permission goal to cover off a 20-point revival draw the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same video game to mark kickoff return goals of 94 and also 96 backyards, respectively.Yet after the Bears won the coin shake inside a stormy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to acquire, the Colts delivered the position kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 few seconds to run from where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he captured the only TD profit of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.The disappointment coming from a resulting 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Venue of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the 1st gamer selected to the Pro Soccer Hall of Popularity primarily as a zing returner a player that triggered some of the best famous seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely started the Super Bowl along with a house telephone call Among the greatest zing returners ever transforms 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had come up with a strategy for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' special staffs systems were actually one of the most eruptive in the game, the Colts positioned 30th in first insurance coverage as well as 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is how that planning ultimately accepted one of one of the most impressive plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive group. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet insurance coverage, profits, they possessed the very best special crews unit in the NFL. Club none. And the most ideal returner, perhaps in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our experts were actually booting to the edges, our company're hopping the ball, we are actually squibbing it, we're punting higher, or our team are actually punting away from bounds. Our team mentioned, 'He is actually not visiting be actually an element. Our team believe our company may control their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his profits for goals were actually puntings, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings and also 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the strategic plan was do not punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, 45 gardens, out of bounds. Compromise some proximity yet carry out certainly not let him receive the sphere in his palms." We thought of it the other way as well as didn't intend to lose a lot of yardage on kickoff things, therefore given that we've acquired a couple of our beginners in there, let's try to pin him in a corner as well as see if our team may overload that side as well as make an effort to lessen his gain. Our company engaged in that all full week long. It wasn't even like our experts were worried to boot a touchback. Our experts were additional anxious concerning striking it over in the corner, and if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it's truly near to the side project, then our company could possibly make an effort to carton him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategy was we're not heading to boot to him. He is actually too hazardous." Days just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a chapel company before the activity and also talked about David and Giant as well as said, 'The reason David prospered is he had not been worried. All the other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I started believing, am I putting worry into our men' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our company can not fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as any individual that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the storm fell, Hester took the unwind and made past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind as well as mentioned if we shed the throw, our experts are actually going to kick off. Our company are actually visiting kick it to him, and also I wish you to drop as well as pound him. And when our company knock their champion down, that's heading to deliver a notification just like David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams coach, and naturally he stated our company can easily deal with, our company can possibly do this. We'll obtain him in the Super Dish. Everyone would like to have their moment. No one desires to walk out certainly there as well as merely claim, 'Hey, we weren't portion of this, or our company really did not assist.' So it was common, but at the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Two or three days before the video game I moved the men to persuade Train Dungy. I stated, 'We may handle him. We'll be actually great.' You can say to [Dungy] worried about performing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears special crews planner: "Every game that our team possessed, it was always a question of that's visiting kick to him, who isn't heading to kick to him. We understood that they had actually talked about not booting to him, yet our company consistently assumed as a team that they were heading to boot to our team in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Sunday evening. I pointed out, 'They're heading to boot the sphere right to our company.'" An unforeseen hurricane moved in to the Miami region on game day as well as poured virtually one in of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester as well as the Bears kickoff gain team trot onto the area to receive the opening zing just 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 considerable amount of pleasure in blocking out for him. Exclusive groups wasn't a job. It really did not seem like you were being actually disciplined for not being a starter. Whenever you stepped on the industry with him in the profit video game, it was like, 'Man, our team may take it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears security: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind seeing all these flashes click on when the ball is being actually kicked off. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game from the closet space really felt unique. I've never felt just about anything like it. It resembled the films. There were actually Roman candle lights being shot up plus all the embers were actually coming down in slow motion. It completely had me badgered out. I came to the subsidiary as well as it resembled, 'Whoa, what just happened?' And after that our team succeed the coin toss as well as our team're getting. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I stated if it uses the end zone, get that reception for him. That's what remained in my mind because it was never done, had never been actually performed just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never ever entered my thoughts that he would certainly rush a round back for a touchdown. It truly didn't. I have actually possessed two of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Green Gulf Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] as well as he ran it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me prior to, however at no time was I presuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's heading to take place once more.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Hall of Prominence Video Game in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been horrendous when our experts performed it. I assumed, we'll place him in the edge, our experts'll confront him inside the 25 and we'll really feel decent about ourselves. Which's absolutely not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my mouth [when he viewed the round moved his means] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also ran up industry to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would come to addressing him was protection Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins off of Hester, who increased far from his understanding. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid created a gap for Hester to blow past the very first wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo design as well as started running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He beat everyone whenever he carried out that. The center of the industry was gold for Devin. They didn't want to boot it down the mid to Devin, yet they apparently were thinking of it excessive, and also if you think you are actually beat. If they kick it down the center of the industry, I understood he was actually heading to credit rating." I kept speaking about him remaining in his lawn [on the program] I think I mentioned, 'From Riviera Seaside to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually outrageous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind striking a person, it was perhaps around the little Super Dish logo. I cracked this person and sort of saw [Devin] flashing by. And also when I reversed and I found he was actually out and all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I've got to go fulfill him.' So I only removed on a dead sprint considering that I understood he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our 1st wave of individuals, then our company possess a protection on each edge as well as me in the center. I knew I was too distant coming from him. If I could possibly obtain close sufficient to him to at the very least sluggish him down, possibly the interest can reach him. However he outwited the piss out of me, also. That is actually the thing concerning Devin. When he has a bit of space, with that sight, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 gardens for a goal with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and didn't touch him in all, I was like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious because after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of available industry, so I understood appropriate then and certainly there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a scenario where I was affixed to a subsidiary and also had the side project working against me. Our team were in the available area, so I recognized he wasn't going to receive me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin sought out. I was actually questioning why he was looking up later on to know that he was looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also just slipped him up and also he tumbled into the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' energy will advance the following drive as they opened a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took control in the second quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We started the activity with a goal and also we believed it was actually going to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly failed to end up by doing this, even though our company showed up and we received a choice right after that, very. Our company assumed our company possessed all type of momentum at that point and then clearly it found yourself switching on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I think the the main thing about that was it was actually the first play of the activity. That in fact operated in our advantage given that if it was just about anything behind that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be actually a hard factor to recuperate from." Yet our team possessed 4 quarters to bounce back and place that behind our company. So, for us it was actually sort of like, 'All right, we made an effort. Shame on our company and afterwards we can maintain it moving currently.' Due to the fact that in the long run, we knew offensively our company were actually mosting likely to score more than 7 aspects, as well as I recognized defensively our experts were actually mosting likely to maintain all of them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire group is actually ignited and thrilled. Right now when they begin to our team, their protection is actually going to be actually coming a million kilometers an hour considering that the energy is currently on their side ... however the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the activity, we knew it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team felt in one's bones that this is actually the fella that will definitely damage the game for our company if we do not avoid that. As well as undoubtedly only viewing that very first play was proof of that. Permit's certainly not boot him an additional round." Gilmore: "They received intelligent as well as made a decision to boot it to John Gilmore. I had two profits in that game. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this report.