.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as host of Best Full week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She additionally co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury Headlines as an interactives media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his native South Fla for the most significant activity of his lifestyle in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was actually well on his way to becoming the best gain professional in NFL history.The former second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually actually made first-team All-Pro acknowledgment as well as Pro Dish honors due to the opportunity the Bears evolved to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester came back an occupation- and also league-high 47 punts with three leading to touchdowns in 2006. He additionally came back 2 kickoffs for touchdowns and also scored after returning a missed out on field goal 108 backyards versus the The big apple Giants.The Colts possessed loads of film to study as they planned for Chicago's the majority of unsafe weapon. They had actually viewed Hester operate a punting back 83 gardens for the permission touchdown to cap off a 20-point comeback get the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the exact same video game to notch first yield goals of 94 and 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece throw inside a rainy Dolphin Coliseum in Miami Gardens and also chosen to acquire, the Colts sent the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to sprint where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' goal, 92 backyards away, all while watching himself on the videoboard as he recorded the only TD gain of an opening first in Super Bowl history.The letdown coming from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts did little bit of to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will certainly be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the initial player elected to the Pro Football Venue of Fame first and foremost as a zing returner a gamer who stimulated one of the absolute most iconic minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester truly started the Super Dish along with a residence call Among the greatest kick returners ever before turns 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually assembled a game plan for Hester that focused on him not touching the round. While the Bears' exclusive teams devices were actually the absolute most eruptive in the organization, the Colts placed 30th in first protection and 32nd in punt coverage. Listed below is how that plan ultimately yielded to some of the most thrilling plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive end: "They weren't a hazardous aggressive team. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. But protection, return, they had the very best unique groups unit in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the very best returner, perhaps in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "Our company were actually kicking to the edges, our team are actually hopping the ball, our company are actually squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or our company're punting out of bounds. Our company mentioned, 'He is actually certainly not going to be a variable. Our experts believe our team may control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his returns for goals were punts, not always kickoffs [Hester returned 3 punts and pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood without a doubt the strategy was do not punt the ball to him. Try to punt it 40 backyards, 45 gardens, out of bounds. Lose some range but perform certainly not permit him obtain the sphere in his palms." We considered it the various other means as well as really did not want to compromise a ton of yardage on first stuff, therefore given that our team've received a number of our beginners in there, allow's make an effort to affix him behind-the-scenes and see if we may overload that edge and also try to reduce his yield. We exercised that all full week long. It wasn't also like our experts were worried to boot a touchback. Our team were more interested regarding hitting it over in the section, and also if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard pipe however it is actually definitely near to the subsidiary, then our team could attempt to carton him in a bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our team're not heading to kick to him. He is actually as well unsafe." Days just before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy changed his mind.Dungy: "Some of our chaplains provided a chapel company just before the activity and discussed David as well as Giant and stated, 'The factor David succeeded is he had not been afraid. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I putting fear into our fellas' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our team can't be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as any individual that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain fell, Hester took the unwind and also brought in past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I modified my mind and also pointed out if our experts shed the toss, our team are actually going to start. Our experts are actually going to boot it to him, as well as I prefer you to decrease and also extra pound him. And when our experts take their champ down, that's visiting send a notification similar to David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique groups coach, and obviously he stated our experts can easily deal with, our experts may do this. We'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everybody wishes to have their minute. No person would like to go out there certainly as well as simply mention, 'Hey, our team weren't aspect of this, or our experts didn't support.' So it was reciprocal, but at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or even 3 times just before the activity I rallied the guys to persuade Coach Dungy. I claimed, 'Our company can handle him. Our company'll be actually great.' You could inform [Dungy] regreted regarding performing it, yet he resembles: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique teams organizer: "Every game that our company possessed, it was actually regularly a concern of who's visiting kick to him, who isn't heading to kick to him. We understood that they had talked about certainly not kicking to him, however our experts consistently thought as a staff that they were actually mosting likely to boot to our company in the Super Dish even if it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Saturday evening. I said, 'They are actually visiting boot the ball right to our company.'" An unforeseen hurricane relocated in to the Miami location on video game day as well as discarded nearly one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears kickoff yield staff trot onto the area to acquire the opening kick following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a newbie, his assurance when he took the industry was actually unreal. Our team took a considerable amount of pleasure in blocking out for him. Unique crews had not been a duty. It didn't seem like you were actually being disciplined for not being actually a starter. Whenever you stepped on the area with him in the yield game, it felt like, 'Guy, we can take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind seeing all these flashes click when the ball is actually being actually started. That was actually unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the video game from the locker room experienced surreal. I've never really felt just about anything like it. It resembled the films. There were Roman candlesticks being soared and all the embers were coming down in funeral pace. It absolutely had me badgered out. I came to the sideline and also it felt like, 'Whoa, what merely taken place?' And afterwards we gain the coin throw and also we're getting. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I stated if it uses completion area, obtain that ball for him. That's what resided in my mind because it was never carried out, had never ever been performed just before." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my thoughts that he will run a round back for a touchdown. It actually didn't. I've possessed 2 of all of them in Super Bowls. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me before, but at no opportunity was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to happen again.' 2024 Pro Soccer Hall of FameThe Hall of Fame Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually televised on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that describe Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I had not been fearful when we performed it. I assumed, our team'll put him in the edge, we'll confront him inside the 25 and our experts'll experience pretty good concerning our own selves. And also's absolutely not what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my oral cavity [when he observed the round moved his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester obtained Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line and ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian would come to addressing him was actually safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was inches far from Hester, who sped up far from his understanding. The Bears' wedge containing Gilmore, Israel Idonije and Gabe Reid produced a void for Hester to blast past the initial wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish company logo and also started sprinting parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the area, I just knew it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everyone whenever he did that. The center of the area was golden for Devin. They didn't intend to boot it down the center to Devin, yet they apparently were actually considering it way too much, and also if you assume you are actually beat. If they boot it down the center of the area, I understood he was actually visiting rating." I maintained discussing him remaining in his garden [on the show] I believe I said, 'From Riviera Coastline to the largest stage in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually foolish.'" Harris: "I always remember hitting an individual, it was actually possibly around the little Super Dish company logo. I broke this man as well as sort of saw [Devin] flashing through. And also when I shifted and I observed he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I pointed out, 'Okay, I've reached go meet him.' So I simply removed on a dead sprint due to the fact that I understood he was actually scoring." Vinatieri: "When he got past our very first surge of fellas, then our team have a safety and security on each edge and also me between. I understood I was too far away from him. If I could receive close enough to him to at the very least slow him down, possibly the search could come to him. However he juked the piss away from me, also. That is actually the thing concerning Devin. When he has a little bit of room, with that dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 gardens for a touchdown with the position first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and also didn't touch him whatsoever, I felt like 'damn.' It's funny due to the fact that after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than anybody's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was a lot of open industry, so I understood ideal at that point as well as certainly there [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a scenario where I was actually affixed to a sideline as well as possessed the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our experts were in the open industry, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was actually wondering why he was actually looking up later to discover that he was actually examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also just stumbled him up and he detected the end zone for the goal." The Bears' energy would certainly continue on the next travel as they opened a 14-6 lead, but the Colts took management in the second zone for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company started the video game with a touchdown and our team presumed it was mosting likely to be actually an ass-whipping. Truly really did not find yourself in this way, despite the fact that our company emerged and our team acquired a choice right afterwards, too. Our company assumed our experts possessed all sort of drive then and after that obviously it ended up shifting on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I believe the the main thing about that was it was the initial play of the game. That in fact functioned in our advantage given that if it was actually everything later than that, like in in the fourth quarter, it will resemble, 'Oh my God!' It would be actually a hard thing to recover from." However we had 4 one-fourths to recover as well as put that behind us. So, for us it was kind of like, 'Okay, our experts tried. Embarassment on our company and after that our company can maintain it relocating now.' Because in the long run, we understood offensively our company were actually going to record greater than 7 points, and I understood defensively our experts were actually going to keep them coming from counting." Vinatieri: "Their entire staff is fired up and excited. Currently when they kick off to our company, their protection is going to be coming a thousand kilometers an hour since the momentum is actually on their edge ... but the fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we knew it had not been over by any means. Our team just knew that this is actually the person that will wreck the game for our team if our team don't stop that. As well as definitely simply checking out that initial play was verification of that. Allow's not kick him an additional round." Gilmore: "They received brilliant and decided to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two profits during that game. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this report.