.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin participated in ESPN in 2017, originally dealing with the Minnesota Vikings before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a regular panelist on Around the Horn as well as hold of Best Week Ever Before on ESPN Broadcast. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as an interactives media sports journalist.By the moment Devin Hester went back to his indigenous South Florida for the biggest activity of his life in Super Dish XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old rookie was effectively on his method to coming to be the best gain specialist in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes from 2003-05, had already gained first-team All-Pro acknowledgment and also Pro Dish respects due to the time the Bears progressed to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned an occupation- as well as league-high 47 punts with three resulting in goals in 2006. He likewise came back 2 kickoffs for goals and scored after coming back a missed out on basket 108 yards versus the New york city Giants.The Colts possessed a lot of movie to analyze as they prepared for Chicago's a lot of dangerous tool. They had seen Hester operate a punting back 83 backyards for the okay goal to top off a 20-point revival gain the Cardinals. They watched him tear past the St. Louis Rams two times in the same activity to notch kickoff profit goals of 94 and also 96 yards, respectively.Yet after the Bears succeeded the piece throw inside a rainy Dolphin Arena in Miami Gardens and chosen to obtain, the Colts sent the position kickoff right in to Hester's grasp.It took him each one of 14 seconds to sprint from where he handled Adam Vinatieri's kickoff at Chicago's 8-yard line right into Indianapolis' end zone, 92 backyards away, all while viewing themself on the videoboard as he videotaped the only TD yield of a position first in Super Dish history.The letdown from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little to fade the play that complements Hester's Venue of Popularity ru00e9sumu00e9. His effect will definitely be preserved in Canton this weekend as the very first player selected to the Pro Regulation Football Venue of Popularity initially as a zing returner a gamer that stimulated one of the most well-known seconds in NFL history.Devin Hester definitely began the Super Bowl along with a house phone call One of the greatest kick returners ever transforms 40 today.( using @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/dfnDfTke3Cu2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2022 For 2 full weeks in the lead-up to Super Dish XLI, the Colts had actually come up with a strategic plan for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the round. While the Bears' unique staffs devices were the absolute most explosive in the game, the Colts placed 30th in kickoff coverage and also 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Below is actually how that strategy eventually accepted some of the best interesting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a dangerous aggressive crew. They possessed [pass receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they had [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. Yet protection, profits, they possessed the best unique staffs device in the NFL. Pub none. And the greatest returner, possibly in NFL history." Tony Dungy, Colts head train: "We were actually booting to the corners, our company're hopping the round, our experts're squibbing it, we are actually punting high, or our team're punting away from bounds. Our team pointed out, 'He is actually certainly not mosting likely to be actually an element. Our company assume our team can easily control their offense.'" Vinatieri: "Most of his returns for touchdowns were puntings, not essentially kickoffs [Hester returned three punts and also pair of kickoffs for TDs in 2006] We knew for certain the tactical plan was actually don't punt the ball to him. Try to punt it 40 yards, 45 lawns, out of bounds. Lose some proximity yet carry out certainly not let him obtain the ball in his hands." Our company thought about it the various other technique and also didn't desire to lose a ton of yardage on first things, thus given that our experts've acquired a couple of our starters therein, let's make an effort to pin him behind-the-scenes as well as see if we may overload that side and also try to decrease his profit. Our team practiced that all week long. It had not been also like our team were actually paniced to boot a touchback. Our company were actually more interested about attacking it over in the edge, and if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line but it is actually really near to the sideline, at that point our team can try to container him in a small amount." Reid: "The strategic plan was our experts are actually not mosting likely to kick to him. He's also unsafe." Times just before the activity on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy transformed his mind.Dungy: "One of our chaplains offered a church service just before the video game as well as discussed David as well as Goliath as well as pointed out, 'The factor David was successful is he had not been worried. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Goliath.' So I began believing, am I putting concern in to our guys' hearts? Am I playing this inappropriate? Our company can not hesitate of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as stunned as anybody that the Colts were stopping to him to open up Super Dish XLI. As the rain became, Hester took the unwind and made past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I changed my mind and also pointed out if our company drop the toss, our company are actually visiting begin. Our company are actually visiting boot it to him, as well as I wish you to go down as well as extra pound him. And when our company knock their champ down, that's visiting deliver a notification much like David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our exclusive crews coach, as well as naturally he said our experts may cover, our company may do this. Our experts'll obtain him in the Super Bowl. Everybody intends to possess their moment. No one desires to walk out certainly there and only say, 'Hey, our experts weren't aspect of this, or our company failed to support.' So it was mutual, but by the end of the time, it was my choice." Reid: "Pair of or even three times before the activity I rallied the guys to convince Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our experts may manage him. We'll be alright.' You could say to [Dungy] worried concerning doing it, yet he's like: 'OK, I trust you fellas.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique groups coordinator: "Every game that we had, it was constantly an inquiry of that's visiting boot to him, who isn't mosting likely to kick to him. We understood that they had actually referred to certainly not booting to him, yet our company always supposed as a workers that they were actually mosting likely to boot to us in the Super Dish even if it is actually the Super Bowl." That's what I informed them Sunday night. I mentioned, 'They're heading to boot the sphere right to our company.'" An unpredicted storm relocated in to the Miami location on activity day and ditched nearly one inch of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Stadium throughout the night. A crowd of 74,512 checked out Hester and the Bears first gain staff trot onto the industry to receive the position kick after 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears strict end: "As a rookie, his assurance when he took the area was unbelievable. Our team took a considerable amount of pleasure in blocking out for him. Special staffs had not been a job. It really did not think that you were being actually punished for certainly not being actually a starter. Whenever you tromped the industry along with him in the yield activity, it was like, 'Male, our company can easily take it to your home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety: "This is pre-smartphones. I bear in mind finding all these flashes click on when the ball is being kicked off. That was unbelievable." Gilmore: "Going out to the activity from the closet space really felt surreal. I have actually never ever experienced anything like it. It was like the movies. There were actually Classical candles being actually shot up plus all the cinders were actually boiling down in slow motion. It totally had me annoyed out. I reached the subsidiary as well as it felt like, 'Whoa, what just occurred?' And afterwards our company win the coin throw and also our team're getting. Discuss an adrenaline thrill." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I mentioned if it goes in completion zone, receive that ball for him. That's what was in my mind given that it was never ever performed, had actually never been performed prior to." Vinatieri: "Truthfully it never entered my mind that he would certainly rush a ball back for a touchdown. It really didn't. I have actually had two of all of them in Super Containers. I kicked one to [Environment-friendly Bay Packers broad receiver/return expert Desmond Howard] as well as he functioned it back for a touchdown. So it occurred to me just before, but at no opportunity was I thinking, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to occur once again.' 2024 Pro Volleyball Hall of FameThe Venue of Prominence Activity between the Bears and Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) will definitely be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and also ESPN Deportes. u2022 Two plays that specify Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long past due u2022 Freeney puts twist on heritage u2022 Mongo's match, trip to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when we performed it. I assumed, our team'll put him in the section, our experts'll confront him inside the 25 as well as our experts'll experience respectable regarding our own selves. And that's not what took place." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "Words that emerged of my mouth [when he found the round moved his way] were 'Holy s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as raised industry to the 20. The closest a Colts protector would come to handling him was actually protection Marlin Jackson, who was actually inches away from Hester, who accelerated off of his realization. The Bears' wedge including Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blow past the 1st wave of Indianapolis defenders as he neared the Super Dish logo design and started sprinting parallel to the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made it to the middle of the area, I felt in one's bones it. That's what he carried out. He outran everybody every single time he carried out that. The center of the field was gold for Devin. They really did not wish to kick it down the mid to Devin, but they apparently were thinking about it excessive, as well as if you believe you're trumped. If they boot it down the center of the field, I understood he was visiting score." I maintained referring to him remaining in his backyard [on the show] I think I pointed out, 'Coming from Riviera Seaside to the greatest stage in sporting activities, Devin Hester, you are ludicrous.'" Harris: "I keep in mind hitting a fella, it was perhaps around the little Super Dish company logo. I chipped this individual and type of saw [Devin] showing off through. And also when I reversed and I viewed he was out plus all the Colts white colored jackets chasing him, I claimed, 'Okay, I have actually reached go fulfill him.' So I just took off on a lifeless sprint because I knew he was racking up." Vinatieri: "When he surpassed our 1st wave of fellas, then we have a security on each edge and also me in between. I knew I was actually also away from him. If I might acquire close enough to him to at least sluggish him down, perhaps the search could possibly get to him. But he juked the piss out of me, as well. That's things concerning Devin. When he possesses a bit of room, keeping that sight, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester ethnicities 92 lawns for a touchdown along with the position first in Super Dish XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him in any way, I was like 'damn.' It's amusing given that after one play, my jacket is actually dirtier than any person's on the industry." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was actually excessive available area, so I recognized appropriate at that point and also there certainly [after Vinatieri's attempt] It had not been a circumstance where I was pinned to a side project and also possessed the subsidiary antagonizing me. Our team resided in the open area, so I recognized he wasn't going to obtain me." Joniak: "I remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was actually tracking him down and Devin sought out. I was asking yourself why he was actually searching for eventually to find out that he was considering himself on the scoreboard. Matt recorded him as well as merely stumbled him up and also he detected the end zone for the goal." The Bears' momentum would continue on the following travel as they opened a 14-6 top, however the Colts took command in the 2nd quarter for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "We started the activity along with a goal as well as we believed it was going to be actually an ass-whipping. Really really did not end up this way, although our company came out as well as we obtained a selection right after that, extremely. Our experts believed our team possessed all type of momentum then and afterwards certainly it wound up switching on us." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective point: "I assume the the main thing about that was it was actually the initial play of the video game. That in fact functioned in our benefit since if it was actually everything beyond that, like in in the fourth one-fourth, it would certainly be like, 'Oh my God!' It will be a challenging thing to bounce back from." However our company possessed 4 fourths to bounce back and also put that responsible for our company. So, for our team it was actually type of like, 'Okay, our experts tried. Pity on our company and afterwards our team may keep it relocating right now.' Due to the fact that eventually, we knew offensively our company were visiting score greater than 7 aspects, as well as I knew defensively our experts were actually heading to keep all of them from counting." Vinatieri: "Their whole team is actually ignited and also excited. Currently when they kick off to our company, their self defense is actually visiting be happening a thousand kilometers a hr because the drive is presently on their edge ... however the reality that there was still 59 1/2 mins left behind in the game, we knew it had not been over whatsoever. Our experts just knew that this is the individual that will certainly ravage the game for our team if our experts do not avoid that. And also undoubtedly only watching that initial play was evidence of that. Permit's certainly not boot him an additional ball." Gilmore: "They obtained clever and made a decision to kick it to John Gilmore. I had pair of returns because activity. That's what happens when Devin takes the position kickoff for a goal." ESPN's Stephen Holder contributed to this file.