.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Workers WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, actually covering the Minnesota Vikings before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a recurring panelist on Around the Horn as well as range of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN thousand. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury News as an interactives media sporting activities journalist.By the amount of time Devin Hester returned to his native South Florida for the largest activity of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was well on his way to becoming the very best profit specialist in NFL history.The past second-round pick, who starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had currently earned first-team All-Pro awareness and Pro Bowl tributes due to the time the Bears accelerated to participate in the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- and league-high 47 puntings with three causing goals in 2006. He also came back 2 kickoffs for touchdowns and also racked up after coming back an overlooked field goal 108 backyards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts had a lot of film to examine as they prepared for Chicago's the majority of dangerous item. They had observed Hester manage a punting back 83 yards for the go-ahead touchdown to cap off a 20-point resurgence sway the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same activity to mark first yield goals of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the piece shake inside a rainy Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens as well as chosen to acquire, the Colts sent out the opening kickoff right into Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 seconds to sprint where he handled Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' end zone, 92 yards away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD yield of an opening first in Super Dish history.The letdown coming from an eventual 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to fade the play that emphasizes Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His influence will certainly be actually enshrined in Canton this weekend break as the 1st gamer elected to the Pro Regulation Football Hall of Popularity primarily as a zing returner a gamer who stimulated among the absolute most renowned seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester really began the Super Bowl with a home telephone call Some of the best zing returners ever before switches 40 today.( through @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) Nov 4, 2022 For pair of full weeks in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLI, the Colts had actually produced a strategic plan for Hester that revolved around him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' special teams devices were actually one of the most explosive in the league, the Colts ranked 30th in first protection and also 32nd in punt protection. Listed below is actually just how that plan inevitably yielded to among one of the most fantastic plays in Super Dish history.Darrell Reid, Colts defensive side: "They weren't a dangerous aggressive group. They possessed [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [wide receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet protection, return, they had the most ideal special teams unit in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the very best returner, possibly in NFL past." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our company were actually booting to the corners, our experts are actually bouncing the ball, we're squibbing it, our team are actually punting higher, or even we're punting out of bounds. Our company said, 'He is actually certainly not heading to be an aspect. Our company assume we may regulate their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "The majority of his come backs for touchdowns were actually puntings, not always kickoffs [Hester came back three punts and also 2 kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We understood for certain the strategic plan was don't punt the round to him. Make an effort to punt it 40 yards, 45 lawns, away from bounds. Lose some span yet carry out certainly not permit him obtain the round in his hands." We dealt with it the other way and also really did not would like to give up a ton of yardage on kickoff stuff, therefore since our team've received a number of our starters therein, permit's attempt to pin him behind-the-scenes and also find if our team may overload that edge and attempt to reduce his yield. Our company performed that all full week long. It had not been also like our experts were stressed to boot a touchback. Our company were actually additional anxious about attacking it over in the corner, and if he captures it at the 2- or even 3-yard line however it is actually truly near to the side project, then our company could try to package him in a little bit." Reid: "The tactical plan was our experts're not going to boot to him. He is actually also risky." Times just before the video game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy altered his mind.Dungy: "One of our pastors offered a church solution prior to the video game as well as spoke about David as well as Goliath as well as said, 'The main reason David succeeded is he wasn't terrified. All the various other Israelites feared of Goliath.' So I began thinking, am I putting worry right into our men' hearts? Am I playing this wrong? Our team can't hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was as surprised as any person that the Colts were kicking to him to open Super Bowl XLI. As the rainfall fell, Hester took the unwind as well as created past history. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, in the nick of time, I transformed my thoughts and also said if our experts shed the shake, our experts're mosting likely to start. We're heading to kick it to him, and I want you to drop and also extra pound him. As well as when our team take their champion down, that's visiting deliver an information just like David." I discussed it along with Russ Purnell, our unique teams coach, as well as of course he said our company can easily deal with, our experts can do this. Our experts'll obtain him in the Super Dish. Everyone desires to have their moment. No one wishes to head out there and also just point out, 'Hey, our experts weren't part of this, or even our experts didn't support.' So it was shared, but at the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or even 3 days just before the activity I moved the guys to persuade Coach Dungy. I said, 'We can easily manage him. Our team'll be actually alright.' You might say to [Dungy] felt uneasy concerning doing it, but he feels like: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears exclusive groups planner: "Every activity that our company possessed, it was actually consistently an inquiry of that's heading to boot to him, who isn't mosting likely to boot to him. We understood that they had talked about certainly not kicking to him, yet we regularly assumed as a personnel that they were actually heading to kick to our team in the Super Bowl just because it is actually the Super Dish." That's what I informed them Sunday night. I said, 'They're mosting likely to kick the sphere right to our team.'" An unpredicted hurricane relocated in to the Miami location on game time and also ditched virtually one inch of storm over the roofless Dolphin Coliseum throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 viewed Hester and also the Bears first return team trot onto the field to acquire the position zing just after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a novice, his self-confidence when he took the field was actually unreal. Our experts took a considerable amount of satisfaction in blocking out for him. Special staffs had not been a chore. It failed to feel like you were being reprimanded for not being actually a starter. At any time you tromped the area with him in the yield video game, it felt like, 'Man, our company can easily get it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind viewing all these flashes click on when the round is actually being began. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Ending to the video game coming from the locker area experienced unique. I have actually certainly never really felt anything like it. It felt like the movies. There were Roman candle lights being soared plus all the embers were actually coming down in slow mo. It totally possessed me bugged out. I reached the subsidiary and it felt like, 'Whoa, what merely taken place?' And then we gain the piece shake and our company're acquiring. Refer to an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears tools supervisor: "I said if it goes in completion region, receive that reception for him. That's what remained in my thoughts given that it was never performed, had actually never been actually carried out before." Vinatieri: "Honestly it certainly never entered my thoughts that he would run a round back for a goal. It truly didn't. I've had two of all of them in Super Dishes. I booted one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers wide receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he ran it back for a goal. So it occurred to me prior to, yet at no time was I assuming, 'Oh my gosh, it's going to take place once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Venue of FameThe Hall of Popularity Game between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually aired on ESPN, ABC as well as ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney places spin on legacy u2022 Mongo's battle, journey to HOF u2022 Meet the conscripts." I had not been fearful when our experts performed it. I thought, our experts'll put him in the section, our company'll tackle him inside the 25 and also we'll feel respectable regarding ourselves. And that's never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that emerged of my mouth [when he observed the sphere moved his method] were actually 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's zing at the 8-yard line as well as added area to the 20. The closest a Colts defender would certainly get to handling him was safety Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches away from Hester, that accelerated far from his knowledge. The Bears' wedge featuring Gilmore, Israel Idonije and also Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the 1st surge of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Bowl logo and began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut to the middle of the industry, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He eluded everyone every single time he did that. The middle of the field was gold for Devin. They didn't intend to kick it down the center to Devin, yet they apparently were actually considering it excessive, and also if you assume you are actually beat. If they kick it down the center of the area, I recognized he was actually going to credit rating." I always kept speaking about him residing in his backyard [on the broadcast] I believe I stated, 'Coming from Riviera Seaside to the most significant phase in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ridiculous.'" Harris: "I bear in mind striking a person, it was probably around the little Super Dish logo design. I damaged this guy and also sort of saw [Devin] showing off through. And also when I turned around and I viewed he was actually out and all the Colts white colored jerseys chasing him, I stated, 'Okay, I've got to go meet him.' So I merely removed on a lifeless sprint given that I understood he was actually racking up." Vinatieri: "As soon as he got past our 1st wave of guys, after that our company possess a safety and security on each edge and me in the middle. I understood I was also far away from him. If I could acquire close sufficient to him to at least slow him down, possibly the quest could possibly reach him. Yet he outwited the piss away from me, also. That's the many things concerning Devin. When he possesses a little bit of space, with that dream, he is actually unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 lawns for a touchdown with the opening first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I jumped and really did not touch him at all, I was like 'damn.' It's comical given that after one play, my jersey is dirtier than anybody's on the field." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive open industry, so I recognized ideal then and also there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a situation where I was actually pinned to a sideline and possessed the subsidiary working against me. We remained in the available area, so I understood he had not been going to obtain me." Joniak: "I keep in mind [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down and Devin sought out. I was asking yourself why he was seeking out later to discover that he was looking at himself on the scoreboard. Matt captured him and also simply tripped him up and also he tumbled into the end region for the goal." The Bears' momentum would continue the following ride as they opened up a 14-6 lead, yet the Colts took command in the 2nd region for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We began the video game with a touchdown and also our company presumed it was actually heading to be an ass-whipping. Truly really did not find yourself by doing this, despite the fact that our company emerged as well as we obtained a pick right after that, very. Our experts presumed our experts possessed all kinds of drive then and after that undoubtedly it found yourself shifting on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts defensive point: "I presume the a single thing concerning that was it was the initial play of the video game. That really done work in our perk since if it was actually everything behind that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a tough thing to recover coming from." However our experts possessed 4 one-fourths to recuperate as well as put that responsible for our company. So, for us it was actually sort of like, 'All right, our team attempted. Embarassment on our team and afterwards our company can keep it moving now.' Considering that in the long run, we knew offensively our experts were heading to count greater than 7 factors, and also I understood defensively our team were actually mosting likely to maintain them coming from racking up." Vinatieri: "Their whole entire group is fired up and delighted. Right now when they begin to us, their self defense is actually heading to be coming a million kilometers a hr because the momentum is actually actually on their side ... however the fact that there was still 59 1/2 minutes left behind in the activity, we understood it wasn't over whatsoever. Our team just knew that this is actually the man that will definitely wreck the game for our team if our team don't prevent that. And certainly merely viewing that very first play was actually verification of that. Allow's not kick him an additional sphere." Gilmore: "They obtained smart as well as determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed pair of yields in that activity. That's what takes place when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Owner added to this record.