.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Team WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and range of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously operated at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the largest game of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was well on his way to ending up being the greatest profit expert in NFL history.The past second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had presently earned first-team All-Pro acknowledgment as well as Pro Bowl honors due to the opportunity the Bears advanced to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a career- and league-high 47 punts with 3 resulting in goals in 2006. He likewise came back pair of firsts for touchdowns and also scored after returning a missed out on basket 108 yards versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts had loads of film to analyze as they planned for Chicago's many hazardous item. They had found Hester operate a punt back 83 gardens for the okay goal to cover off a 20-point comeback gain the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same activity to mark kickoff yield touchdowns of 94 and 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece throw inside a wet Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and also elected to get, the Colts delivered the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him all of 14 seconds to sprint where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 yards away, all while seeing themself on the videoboard as he taped the only TD return of an opening first in Super Dish history.The letdown from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little bit of to fade the play that complements Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence is going to be enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the 1st player chosen to the Pro Football Hall of Fame first and foremost as a kick returner a gamer who triggered among one of the most legendary seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Dish with a property phone call Among the best zing returners ever transforms 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For 2 full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually produced a strategic plan for Hester that focused on him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive groups systems were the absolute most explosive in the organization, the Colts positioned 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed below is just how that program essentially yielded to one of one of the most stimulating plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't an unsafe offensive crew. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet protection, come back, they had the very best unique staffs system in the NFL. Pub none. And also the very best returner, perhaps in NFL past history." Tony Dungy, Colts head instructor: "Our experts were kicking to the sections, our company are actually jumping the round, our team are actually squibbing it, our company are actually punting high, or we're punting out of bounds. We said, 'He is actually certainly not mosting likely to be an aspect. Our team presume we can manage their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his come backs for touchdowns were actually puntings, certainly not necessarily kickoffs [Hester came back three puntings as well as pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We knew for sure the game plan was actually don't punt the ball to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 backyards, 45 backyards, out of bounds. Compromise some distance yet perform not permit him obtain the ball in his hands." Our company thought of it the various other method and failed to wish to lose a lot of yardage on kickoff stuff, so due to the fact that our team have actually got a number of our beginners therein, allow's try to pin him in a corner and also view if we can easily overload that side as well as attempt to reduce his yield. We exercised that all full week long. It wasn't even like our experts were worried to boot a touchback. Our company were even more concerned about hitting it over in the edge, and if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it's actually near to the side project, at that point our experts could possibly make an effort to container him in a little bit." Reid: "The game plan was our experts're certainly not mosting likely to kick to him. He is actually also dangerous." Times before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors provided a chapel solution just before the activity and discussed David as well as Goliath and also stated, 'The cause David was successful is he had not been worried. All the various other Israelites feared of Giant.' So I started thinking, am I placing concern into our people' souls? Am I playing this inappropriate? We can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as shocked as anybody that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the settle back and also made past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my thoughts as well as claimed if our experts lose the throw, we're mosting likely to kick off. Our experts are actually heading to boot it to him, and also I wish you to drop and also pound him. As well as when our company take their champ down, that is actually mosting likely to send a notification similar to David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs trainer, and obviously he said we can deal with, we may do this. Our company'll acquire him in the Super Bowl. Everybody intends to have their moment. Nobody intends to walk out certainly there and just claim, 'Hey, our company weren't part of this, or we failed to support.' So it was reciprocal, yet at the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "2 or 3 days prior to the video game I moved the people to entice Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our team can easily manage him. We'll be actually great.' You might say to [Dungy] felt uneasy about doing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique staffs organizer: "Every video game that our experts possessed, it was actually regularly a question of who is actually heading to kick to him, that isn't visiting boot to him. We knew that they had spoken about not booting to him, but our company always supposed as a staff that they were going to kick to our team in the Super Dish just because it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Saturday evening. I pointed out, 'They're visiting kick the ball right to us.'" An unexpected hurricane moved into the Miami area on game time as well as discarded nearly one inch of rain over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and the Bears kickoff return staff trot onto the field to receive the position kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his self-confidence when he took the field was unreal. We took a considerable amount of satisfaction in shutting out for him. Exclusive crews had not been a job. It didn't believe that you were being actually punished for certainly not being a starter. Whenever you stepped on the field with him in the profit game, it felt like, 'Man, our company may get it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I bear in mind seeing all these flashes click when the round is being started. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Running out to the game from the locker area experienced unique. I have actually never ever really felt anything like it. It was like the flicks. There were actually Classical candle lights being actually skyrocketed and all the embers were coming down in slow motion. It totally possessed me pestered out. I got to the side project and also it resembled, 'Whoa, what simply occurred?' And after that our experts gain the piece shake and also our company're acquiring. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I claimed if it goes in completion zone, receive that ball for him. That's what resided in my mind since it was certainly never carried out, had actually never been done just before." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never ever entered my thoughts that he would certainly dash a round back for a touchdown. It truly didn't. I have actually possessed two of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Green Bay Packers vast receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a goal. So it took place to me before, but at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it's heading to take place once again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Activity in between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be telecasted on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 2 plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long outstanding u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's fight, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I wasn't horrendous when we did it. I believed, our team'll put him in the corner, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 and we'll experience respectable about our own selves. And also is actually absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that emerged of my oral cavity [when he observed the round headed his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as ran up field to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly get to tackling him was safety Marlin Jackson, who was ins off of Hester, that accelerated away from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid made a space for Hester to blast past the very first surge 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 it halfway of the field, I just knew it. That's what he did. He beat everybody every time he carried out that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They really did not desire to boot it down the mid to Devin, but they seemingly were thinking of it excessive, as well as if you think you're defeated. If they kick it down the middle of the industry, I recognized he was actually mosting likely to rating." I always kept referring to him residing in his garden [on the show] I believe I mentioned, 'From Riviera Coastline to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind reaching a fella, it was actually most likely around the little Super Dish company logo. I nicked this guy and also type of saw [Devin] flashing through. And also when I shifted and also I observed he was out and all the Colts white jerseys chasing him, I mentioned, 'Okay, I have actually come to go meet him.' So I only removed on a lifeless sprint considering that I knew he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our initial surge of men, at that point our experts possess a protection on each edge as well as me in between. I understood I was actually also far away coming from him. If I might get close good enough to him to a minimum of slow him down, possibly the search can get to him. Yet he outwited the piss away from me, too. That's things concerning Devin. When he possesses a little bit of space, with that said dream, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 yards for a touchdown with the position kickoff in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also really did not touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It's hilarious due to the fact that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually a lot of available industry, so I knew ideal then as well as there certainly [after Vinatieri's effort] It wasn't a situation where I was actually affixed to a side project as well as had the side project antagonizing me. Our experts were in the available area, so I understood he had not been going to acquire me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down as well as Devin found. I was actually wondering why he was finding later to know that he was looking at themself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him as well as merely stumbled him up as well as he tumbled into the end area for the goal." The Bears' drive will continue the next travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took control in the 2nd region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team started the game along with a goal and our company believed it was actually mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Really didn't find yourself in this way, despite the fact that our team appeared and also our company got a choice right after that, extremely. We assumed our team possessed all kinds of energy at that point and afterwards definitely it found yourself shifting on our company." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive end: "I believe the the main thing about that was it was actually the 1st play of the game. That in fact operated in our advantage because if it was actually just about anything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly resemble, 'Oh my God!' It will be a difficult trait to recuperate coming from." But our company possessed 4 one-fourths to bounce back as well as place that responsible for our company. Therefore, for our team it was actually sort of like, 'Okay, our experts attempted. Pity on our company and then we may keep it relocating currently.' Because in the end, we understood offensively our company were actually visiting score more than seven factors, as well as I recognized defensively our company were mosting likely to keep all of them coming from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire crew is actually fired up as well as delighted. Currently when they start to our company, their defense is heading to be happening a thousand kilometers a hr considering that the energy is actually presently on their side ... but the fact that there was still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the game, we understood it had not been over whatsoever. We felt in one's bones that this is the guy that will certainly ravage the game for our company if our experts do not stop that. And definitely merely viewing that first play was actually verification of that. Allow's certainly not kick him yet another round." Gilmore: "They acquired brilliant as well as chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two yields during that video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Owner contributed to this record.