.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, actually dealing with the Minnesota Vikings prior to switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn and host of Utmost Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester came back to his native South Fla for the largest video game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old novice was actually effectively on his way to ending up being the best gain specialist in NFL history.The former second-round choice, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually presently gained first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Bowl honors due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a job- and also league-high 47 puntings along with three leading to touchdowns in 2006. He likewise came back pair of firsts for goals and also racked up after returning a missed out on basket 108 lawns versus the New York Giants.The Colts had lots of film to examine as they got ready for Chicago's the majority of harmful tool. They had actually found Hester operate a punt back 83 lawns for the consent touchdown to cap off a 20-point resurgence draw the Cardinals. They witnessed him tear past the St. Louis Rams twice in the very same activity to notch first return touchdowns of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece shake inside a stormy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to get, the Colts sent the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each of 14 secs to run where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line into Indianapolis' end line, 92 backyards away, all while viewing himself on the videoboard as he tape-recorded the only TD gain of a position kickoff in Super Bowl history.The frustration from an eventual 29-17 loss to the Colts did little to vanish the play that complements Hester's Hall of Prominence ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will certainly be enshrined in Canton this weekend as the very first player selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily as a zing returner a gamer that sparked one of the best well-known minutes in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Bowl with a home phone call Some of the greatest zing returners ever switches 40 today.( via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For two full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually crafted a strategic plan for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the ball. While the Bears' special crews systems were one of the most explosive in the game, the Colts ranked 30th in first protection and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Below is just how that plan inevitably yielded to one of the best thrilling plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a risky offensive crew. They had [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet coverage, profits, they had the very best special crews device in the NFL. Pub none. And also the most ideal returner, probably in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our company were kicking to the corners, our team are actually bouncing the sphere, our experts're squibbing it, our team're punting high, or our experts are actually punting away from bounds. Our company pointed out, 'He's certainly not going to be a variable. Our team assume our experts can manage their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "Many of his returns for goals were puntings, certainly not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three puntings and pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the tactical plan was don't punt the round to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, forty five gardens, out of bounds. Lose some range yet perform certainly not allow him get the round in his palms." Our experts thought about it the various other method and also really did not would like to give up a lot of yardage on kickoff stuff, thus considering that our experts have actually got a number of our beginners in there, let's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes and also see if we may overload that edge and attempt to reduce his return. We practiced that all week long. It had not been even like our company were stressed to boot a touchback. We were actually additional interested about hitting it over in the edge, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it's truly close to the side project, after that we could try to carton him in a little bit." Reid: "The strategic plan was our company are actually certainly not mosting likely to boot to him. He is actually also unsafe." Days prior to the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors gave a church company before the activity and also spoke about David as well as Goliath as well as stated, 'The cause David achieved success is he wasn't terrified. All the various other Israelites were afraid of Giant.' So I began assuming, am I placing concern into our people' centers? Am I playing this incorrect? Our company can not be afraid of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as stunned as any individual that the Colts were actually kicking to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the unwind and also made past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I modified my thoughts as well as pointed out if our team drop the shake, we are actually mosting likely to kick off. Our experts're mosting likely to boot it to him, and I want you to drop as well as pound him. And also when our company knock their champ down, that's visiting send a notification similar to David." I spoke about it along with Russ Purnell, our unique staffs coach, and also naturally he claimed our team can easily deal with, our company may do this. We'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everybody intends to have their instant. Nobody intends to walk out there as well as only point out, 'Hey, we weren't component of this, or our team really did not assist.' So it was actually reciprocal, however by the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "Two or three times before the activity I rallied the guys to persuade Coach Dungy. I said, 'Our company may handle him. Our experts'll be alright.' You might say to [Dungy] regreted about performing it, however he feels like: 'OK, I trust you people.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive crews organizer: "Every video game that our company had, it was actually always a concern of who's heading to boot to him, that isn't going to kick to him. We understood that they had spoken about not kicking to him, but our company always thought as a workers that they were actually going to boot to our team in the Super Dish just because it's the Super Dish." That's what I informed all of them Saturday night. I stated, 'They are actually going to kick the ball right to our company.'" An unpredicted hurricane relocated right into the Miami place on video game day and discarded almost one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the evening. A group of 74,512 seen Hester and also the Bears kickoff gain staff trot onto the industry to acquire the position zing after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a novice, his confidence when he took the area was actually unbelievable. Our experts took a bunch of pleasure in blocking out for him. Unique staffs wasn't a task. It really did not think that you were being actually penalized for not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the field with him in the gain video game, it resembled, 'Guy, our experts may take it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is pre-smartphones. I don't forget finding all these flashes click on when the sphere is being started. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Ending to the activity coming from the storage locker space really felt surreal. I have actually certainly never felt anything like it. It was like the motion pictures. There were Roman candles being actually skyrocketed plus all the ashes were actually coming down in funeral pace. It completely possessed me badgered out. I came to the side project and also it resembled, 'Whoa, what only taken place?' And after that our team win the coin throw as well as our company are actually receiving. Speak about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears devices manager: "I mentioned if it uses the end zone, get that ball for him. That's what was in my thoughts because it was actually never ever done, had actually never ever been actually performed before." Vinatieri: "Frankly it never entered my thoughts that he would jog a ball back for a touchdown. It actually didn't. I've possessed 2 of them in Super Dishes. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Gulf Packers vast receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] and he operated it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me prior to, yet at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it's visiting happen once more.' 2024 Pro Football Hall of FameThe Venue of Prominence Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually aired on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney places twist on legacy u2022 Mongo's battle, adventure to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been horrendous when our experts performed it. I assumed, our company'll place him in the edge, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 and also our experts'll feel pretty good regarding ourselves. And also's not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that visited of my oral cavity [when he saw the sphere headed his way] were 'Divine s--.'" Hester received Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line and also ran up industry to the twenty. The closest a Colts guardian will come to addressing him was safety and security Marlin Jackson, who was actually ins off of Hester, that sped up off of his realization. The Bears' block being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid produced a space for Hester to blast past the 1st surge of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Bowl logo as well as began sprinting parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play vocal for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he performed. He beat everyone whenever he performed that. The middle of the field was actually gold for Devin. They failed to wish to kick it down the middle to Devin, but they seemingly were dealing with it excessive, as well as if you presume you are actually trumped. If they kick it down the middle of the industry, I knew he was actually heading to credit rating." I always kept referring to him remaining in his yard [on the program] I believe I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Seaside to the most significant stage in sports, Devin Hester, you are actually foolish.'" Harris: "I remember striking an individual, it was probably around the little bit of Super Bowl logo design. I cracked this man as well as sort of saw [Devin] flashing by. And when I reversed and also I found he was actually out plus all the Colts white colored shirts chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I've come to go satisfy him.' So I just removed on a lifeless sprint given that I knew he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "The moment he surpassed our 1st surge of people, after that our experts have a safety on each edge as well as me between. I understood I was actually too distant from him. If I could possibly get close enough to him to at the very least slow-moving him down, perhaps the search could possibly come to him. But he outwited the piss out of me, as well. That's the thing concerning Devin. When he has a little bit of space, with that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 backyards for a touchdown with the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove as well as failed to touch him in all, I felt like 'damn.' It is actually hilarious since after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than any person's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive open industry, so I understood ideal after that and certainly there [after Vinatieri's try] It wasn't a circumstance where I was pinned to a subsidiary and also had the subsidiary working against me. We were in the open area, so I understood he wasn't going to get me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and also Devin looked up. I was wondering why he was finding eventually to find out that he was actually taking a look at himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as merely stumbled him up and also he detected the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' momentum will continue the next drive as they opened a 14-6 top, yet the Colts took command in the second area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our company began the video game along with a touchdown and our company presumed it was heading to be actually an ass-whipping. Actually really did not wind up this way, even though we emerged as well as our team received a choice right afterwards, extremely. Our experts presumed our company possessed all sort of drive then and afterwards obviously it found yourself shifting on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I believe the something concerning that was it was the 1st play of the game. That actually functioned in our benefit because if it was just about anything later than that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly feel like, 'Oh my God!' It will be a challenging trait to recover coming from." Yet we possessed 4 quarters to recuperate and put that behind our team. Therefore, for our company it was sort of like, 'All right, we tried. Pity on our company and after that we can easily keep it moving right now.' Since ultimately, we understood offensively our experts were mosting likely to score more than 7 aspects, and also I recognized defensively our team were mosting likely to maintain all of them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire crew is actually ignited and also excited. Now when they kick off to our company, their defense is heading to be coming a million kilometers a hr because the energy is actually presently on their side ... however the truth that there was actually still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the video game, we knew it wasn't over by any means. We just knew that this is the guy that will definitely ravage the game for our company if our company do not protect against that. And undoubtedly just seeing that 1st play was evidence of that. Let's not kick him yet another ball." Gilmore: "They obtained smart and chose to kick it to John Gilmore. I had two gains during that video game. That's what occurs when Devin takes the opening first for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder resulted in this file.