.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She earlier worked at the San Jose Mercury Updates as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the time Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the biggest activity of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was properly on his technique to ending up being the best return professional in NFL history.The previous second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had presently made first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and also Pro Bowl respects due to the time the Bears advanced to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- as well as league-high 47 punts along with 3 resulting in goals in 2006. He also came back pair of kickoffs for goals as well as scored after coming back a missed out on basket 108 gardens versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed lots of film to examine as they prepared for Chicago's most unsafe item. They had actually observed Hester manage a punt back 83 lawns for the consent touchdown to cap off a 20-point resurgence sway the Cardinals. They watched him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same video game to mark kickoff return touchdowns of 94 as well as 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the coin shake inside a stormy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and also selected to acquire, the Colts delivered the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 few seconds to sprint where he fielded Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal line, 92 gardens away, all while watching themself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD profit of a position first in Super Bowl history.The letdown from a possible 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little to vanish the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the 1st gamer elected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Fame first and foremost as a zing returner a player who stimulated one of one of the most well-known instants in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Dish along with a home telephone call One of the best zing returners ever switches 40 today.( by means of @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had created a strategy for Hester that focused on him not touching the ball. While the Bears' exclusive groups units were actually the most explosive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in first coverage and 32nd in punt protection. Listed here is actually just how that planning eventually yielded to among the best interesting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a dangerous offensive staff. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, profits, they possessed the best unique teams unit in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the very best returner, probably in NFL background." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our experts were actually kicking to the sections, we are actually bouncing the round, we are actually squibbing it, we're punting high, or even our team're punting out of bounds. We said, 'He's certainly not going to be actually a variable. Our team think our company may regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his profits for touchdowns were actually punts, not always kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and pair of firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the strategy was actually don't punt the sphere to him. Try to punt it 40 gardens, forty five backyards, away from bounds. Lose some range yet carry out not permit him acquire the round in his hands." Our company dealt with it the other technique and failed to would like to give up a ton of yardage on first stuff, thus given that our company have actually acquired a number of our beginners in there, let's try to affix him in a corner and also view if our experts can easily overload that side and attempt to minimize his profit. We engaged in that all full week long. It had not been also like our experts were worried to kick a touchback. We were more anxious regarding hitting it over in the corner, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard pipe but it is actually actually near the sideline, at that point we could try to box him in a bit." Reid: "The strategy was we are actually certainly not heading to boot to him. He is actually as well unsafe." Days just before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains provided a church solution before the video game as well as referred to David as well as Goliath and mentioned, 'The main reason David was successful is he wasn't afraid. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I started believing, am I placing fear in to our guys' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our team can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as pleasantly surprised as anybody that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall became, Hester took the kick back as well as created background. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my thoughts and also claimed if our experts shed the toss, our company are actually going to begin. Our company're visiting kick it to him, as well as I want you to drop and pound him. And also when we take their champion down, that's going to send out a message similar to David." I referred to it along with Russ Purnell, our exclusive teams instructor, and certainly he said our experts can easily deal with, our company may do this. Our experts'll receive him in the Super Dish. Everyone would like to possess their moment. No person desires to head out there certainly and only point out, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or our team really did not support.' So it was actually reciprocal, however by the end of the day, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or even three days before the video game I moved the individuals to convince Train Dungy. I stated, 'Our team can manage him. Our experts'll be actually great.' You could possibly say to [Dungy] regreted about doing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you men.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive staffs planner: "Every activity that our experts had, it was actually regularly an inquiry of who's going to kick to him, that isn't going to boot to him. We understood that they had actually spoken about certainly not kicking to him, but our experts consistently supposed as a workers that they were mosting likely to kick to our company in the Super Bowl even if it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I told them Sunday evening. I said, 'They're going to kick the round right to us.'" An unforeseen storm relocated in to the Miami location on activity day as well as poured nearly one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears kickoff return staff trot onto the area to receive the opening zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears limited end: "As a newbie, his confidence when he took the field was unbelievable. Our experts took a considerable amount of pride in blocking out for him. Unique staffs wasn't a job. It didn't believe that you were actually being reprimanded for certainly not being actually a starter. Any time you stepped on the industry along with him in the return video game, it felt like, 'Male, our team may get it to the house.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I don't forget observing all these flashes click when the sphere is being actually kicked off. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game from the locker space experienced surreal. I've never experienced everything like it. It felt like the flicks. There were Roman candlesticks being actually soared plus all the ashes were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It totally possessed me bugged out. I reached the subsidiary and also it was like, 'Whoa, what merely happened?' And afterwards our team succeed the piece shake and we are actually obtaining. Discuss an adrenaline rush." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment manager: "I claimed if it enters the end area, obtain that ball for him. That's what resided in my mind due to the fact that it was actually certainly never carried out, had actually certainly never been carried out just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would rush a ball back for a touchdown. It really failed to. I've had 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I kicked one to [Veggie Bay Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and also he operated it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me prior to, however at no opportunity was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it is actually heading to take place again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Venue of Popularity Activity between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and 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 battle, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been horrendous when we performed it. I thought, we'll put him in the section, our experts'll tackle him inside the 25 and also our experts'll experience respectable concerning our own selves. And that's never what happened." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that came out of my oral cavity [when he found the sphere headed his means] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and added area to the twenty. The closest a Colts protector would reach addressing him was actually security Marlin Jackson, who was ins away from Hester, that increased off of his knowledge. The Bears' block featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid developed a space for Hester to blow past the first surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl logo design and began dashing alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it halfway of the field, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He outran everyone each time he carried out that. The center of the field was actually gold for Devin. They really did not intend to kick it down the center to Devin, yet they apparently were thinking of it too much, and also if you presume you're defeated. If they kick it down the center of the area, I recognized he was actually going to score." I kept discussing him remaining in his yard [on the broadcast] I think I stated, 'From Riviera Beach to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are foolish.'" Harris: "I remember striking a fella, it was perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl logo. I chipped this fella and sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. As well as when I reversed as well as I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I pointed out, 'Okay, I've reached go meet him.' So I only took off on a dead sprint considering that I recognized he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "The moment he got past our initial wave of individuals, then our experts possess a protection on each side and also me in the middle. I recognized I was as well far coming from him. If I could possibly acquire close sufficient to him to at least slow-moving him down, maybe the search could get to him. But he outwited the piss away from me, as well. That is actually the many things regarding Devin. When he possesses a little of area, with that said vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 backyards for a touchdown along with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as didn't touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious since after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than anyone's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually too much available area, so I knew best then and also there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It wasn't a situation where I was pinned to a sideline and possessed the side project antagonizing me. Our experts resided in the available industry, so I understood he wasn't going to acquire me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin found. I was pondering why he was finding eventually to learn that he was considering themself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him and also merely tripped him up and also he detected completion zone for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum will advance the upcoming travel as they opened up a 14-6 lead, however the Colts took management in the second region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the activity along with a touchdown as well as our team presumed it was heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly really did not wind up that way, although we emerged and also we obtained a choice right afterwards, extremely. Our experts thought we possessed all kinds of momentum at that point and afterwards definitely it wound up moving on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I presume the the main thing regarding that was it was actually the initial play of the game. That actually functioned in our perk since if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the 4th one-fourth, it will resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be actually a challenging factor to recover from." However our experts had 4 fourths to bounce back and also place that behind our team. So, for our company it was type of like, 'All right, our team attempted. Pity on us and after that our team may maintain it relocating now.' Given that eventually, we understood offensively our team were actually going to score greater than 7 aspects, as well as I understood defensively we were visiting keep them from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is actually ignited and also delighted. Now when they kick off to us, their defense is actually mosting likely to be actually coming a million miles a hr given that the drive is actually already on their side ... but the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the activity, we understood it wasn't over by any means. Our company just knew that this is the person that will certainly trash the ready our team if our team don't stop that. As well as definitely only checking out that 1st play was actually evidence of that. Permit's certainly not kick him another ball." Gilmore: "They got brilliant and chose to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two returns in that activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the position first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder helped in this record.