.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, initially dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as a mixeds media sports journalist.By the time Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the greatest activity of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually well on his method to coming to be the most ideal profit specialist in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had actually currently earned first-team All-Pro recognition and also Pro Bowl honors due to the time the Bears evolved to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- and also league-high 47 puntings with 3 causing touchdowns in 2006. He also came back two kickoffs for goals and also scored after returning an overlooked basket 108 backyards versus the Nyc Giants.The Colts had a lot of film to analyze as they got ready for Chicago's most risky tool. They had viewed Hester run a punting back 83 yards for the okay goal to cap off a 20-point resurgence draw the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same video game to notch first yield touchdowns of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece shake inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and also chosen to receive, the Colts sent out the position kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 seconds to run from where he picked up Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 backyards away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD return of an opening first in Super Dish history.The frustration from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts performed little to fade the play that highlights Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact will definitely be actually preserved in Canton this weekend break as the initial gamer elected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Prominence first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer who sparked one of the most legendary minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Dish along with a house call Among the best zing returners ever switches 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually come up with a tactical plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' special staffs systems were actually one of the most eruptive in the organization, the Colts ranked 30th in first protection as well as 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is actually exactly how that plan eventually yielded to some of one of the most fantastic plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective side: "They weren't an unsafe offensive group. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, return, they possessed the best unique groups device in the NFL. Bar none. And the most ideal returner, most likely in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head trainer: "We were kicking to the sections, our team are actually bouncing the round, our company're squibbing it, our experts are actually punting higher, or even our company're punting away from bounds. Our experts pointed out, 'He is actually certainly not visiting be actually a variable. We think our company can regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for touchdowns were punts, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and two kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew without a doubt the game plan was actually don't punt the sphere to him. Attempt to punt it 40 yards, forty five lawns, out of bounds. Sacrifice some distance but do not permit him receive the sphere in his hands." Our company thought about it the various other technique and didn't desire to compromise a lots of yardage on first stuff, so because we have actually acquired a number of our starters in there, let's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes and see if our experts may overload that side and attempt to lessen his return. Our team performed that all week long. It had not been also like our company were worried to kick a touchback. Our company were additional interested regarding attacking it over in the section, and also if he captures it at the 2- or 3-yard line however it's really close to the sideline, after that our experts might try to package him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategy was our company're certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He is actually also hazardous." Times just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors gave a chapel company just before the game as well as referred to David and Goliath and claimed, 'The explanation David achieved success is he wasn't afraid. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I started assuming, am I placing fear right into our guys' souls? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our team can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as anyone that the Colts were kicking to him to open up Super Bowl XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the kick back as well as created record. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I altered my mind and also pointed out if our team lose the shake, our company are actually heading to begin. Our experts are actually mosting likely to boot it to him, and also I prefer you to drop and extra pound him. As well as when our experts knock their champ down, that's heading to send out a message much like David." I talked about it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams trainer, and obviously he stated our company may cover, our company can possibly do this. Our company'll get him in the Super Dish. Everybody desires to have their minute. No one wants to go out there as well as only state, 'Hey, we weren't portion of this, or our team didn't support.' So it was shared, yet by the end of the day, it was my decision." Reid: "Pair of or 3 times just before the activity I rallied the fellas to persuade Train Dungy. I said, 'Our experts may manage him. Our experts'll be actually alright.' You could inform [Dungy] felt uneasy about doing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears special groups coordinator: "Every activity that our team had, it was actually regularly a question of who is actually heading to kick to him, who isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had actually discussed certainly not kicking to him, but we consistently supposed as a staff that they were visiting boot to our company in the Super Bowl just because it's the Super Bowl." That's what I told all of them Saturday evening. I pointed out, 'They're heading to boot the ball right to our team.'" An unforeseen hurricane moved in to the Miami area on game day as well as disposed almost one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 checked out Hester as well as the Bears first yield team trot onto the area to obtain the opening zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his peace of mind when he took the area was actually unreal. Our team took a considerable amount of satisfaction in blocking out for him. Exclusive groups wasn't a task. It didn't feel like you were actually being actually reprimanded for not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the area along with him in the gain activity, it resembled, 'Male, our experts can easily take it to your house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind viewing all these flashes click on when the ball is actually being actually began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the game from the storage locker room experienced unique. I have actually never ever felt everything like it. It was like the films. There were actually Classical candlesticks being skyrocketed plus all the ashes were coming down in funeral pace. It entirely had me badgered out. I reached the subsidiary and also it was like, 'Whoa, what just taken place?' And then our experts gain the coin toss and also our company are actually getting. Discuss an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I claimed if it uses the end region, get that ball for him. That's what resided in my mind due to the fact that it was never done, had actually certainly never been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would certainly rush a sphere back for a touchdown. It really failed to. I've had 2 of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Eco-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he worked it back for a goal. So it occurred to me just before, but 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 Popularity 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 Two plays that define Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on tradition u2022 Mongo's match, quest to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't fearful when we performed it. I thought, our experts'll place him in the corner, our team'll attack him inside the 25 and our team'll feel decent regarding ourselves. Which is actually not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that appeared of my mouth [when he found the round headed his method] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and also ran up field to the twenty. The closest a Colts defender will reach handling him was security Marlin Jackson, that was ins away from Hester, that sped up away from his realization. The Bears' block consisting of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid developed a void for Hester to blow past the 1st surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo design and also began sprinting parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he did. He outran everyone whenever he performed that. The center of the industry was actually gold for Devin. They really did not want to kick it down the middle to Devin, but they apparently were dealing with it too much, and if you presume you're beat. If they boot it down the center of the field, I knew he was actually mosting likely to credit rating." I always kept referring to him remaining in his garden [on the show] I think I said, 'From Riviera Coastline to the largest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually foolish.'" Harris: "I keep in mind hitting a fella, it was actually possibly around the little bit of Super Dish logo design. I damaged this person as well as kind of saw [Devin] showing off by. And also when I turned around and also I viewed he was out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I stated, 'All right, I have actually reached go satisfy him.' So I just took off on a lifeless sprint since I understood he was racking up." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our first wave of guys, then our company possess a safety on each edge and also me in the center. I understood I was too distant coming from him. If I could possibly acquire close good enough to him to at the very least slow-moving him down, perhaps the pursuit might come to him. But he juked the piss out of me, as well. That's things regarding Devin. When he possesses a little bit of room, with that said vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester nationalities 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and also failed to touch him at all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually comical because after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than anyone's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much available field, so I understood best after that and certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a circumstance where I was actually pinned to a subsidiary and also had the sideline antagonizing me. Our company remained in the open industry, so I recognized he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I bear in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin searched for. I was thinking about why he was actually finding later on to know that he was actually looking at themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also only tripped him up and also he detected the end zone for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum will advance the following travel as they opened a 14-6 top, but the Colts took control in the 2nd sector for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our experts began the game along with a goal and also our company assumed it was mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Definitely really did not end up this way, although our team visited as well as we received a pick right afterwards, extremely. Our company believed our experts possessed all kinds of drive at that point and after that clearly it ended up changing on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I presume the one point regarding that was it was the initial play of the activity. That actually done work in our perk given that if it was everything later than that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would certainly be actually a challenging point to bounce back coming from." But our team had 4 one-fourths to recover and place that behind our team. Therefore, for our company it was type of like, 'All right, our experts made an effort. Embarassment on our team and after that we can easily maintain it relocating now.' Because ultimately, we knew offensively our experts were mosting likely to rack up more than seven aspects, and also I understood defensively our team were actually mosting likely to maintain them from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their whole team is actually ignited as well as thrilled. Currently when they start to our team, their defense is visiting be coming a million miles an hour considering that the drive is presently on their edge ... but the simple fact that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. Our team just knew that this is the guy that is going to damage the ready us if our experts do not avoid that. As well as clearly merely checking out that very first play was evidence of that. Let's certainly not boot him an additional sphere." Gilmore: "They got wise as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I had 2 yields during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the position kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner added to this file.