.Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ETCloseCourtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings prior to shifting to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is actually a constant panelist on Around the Horn and also hold of Best Full week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She recently worked at the San Jose Mercury Information as a multimedia sporting activities journalist.By the time Devin Hester came back to his indigenous South Fla for the largest game of his lifestyle in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, the Chicago Bears' 24-year-old newbie was actually well on his method to becoming the most ideal profit professional in NFL history.The former second-round selection, that starred for the Miami Hurricanes coming from 2003-05, had actually already gotten first-team All-Pro recognition as well as Pro Bowl tributes due to the opportunity the Bears accelerated to play the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 4, 2007. Hester returned a profession- and also league-high 47 puntings with three causing touchdowns in 2006. He also came back two firsts for touchdowns and also scored after returning a missed out on field goal 108 gardens versus the New York Giants.The Colts had lots of film to research as they organized Chicago's many harmful weapon. They had actually seen Hester run a punt back 83 gardens for the go-ahead goal to cover off a 20-point comeback get the Cardinals. They witnessed him rip past the St. Louis Rams twice in the same game to mark first return touchdowns of 94 and also 96 gardens, respectively.Yet after the Bears gained the coin toss inside a wet Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens and also chosen to acquire, the Colts sent the opening first right in to Hester's grasp.It took him every one of 14 secs to dash from where he dealt with Adam Vinatieri's first at Chicago's 8-yard line in to Indianapolis' goal line, 92 lawns away, all while seeing himself on the videoboard as he documented the only TD gain of a position first in Super Dish history.The setback coming from an ultimate 29-17 reduction to the Colts carried out little bit of to vanish the play that complements Hester's Venue of Fame ru00e9sumu00e9. His impact is going to be preserved in Canton this weekend break as the first player chosen to the Pro Soccer Hall of Fame initially as a zing returner a player who triggered among the most famous instants in NFL history.Devin Hester really started the Super Bowl with a residence call Some of the greatest kick returners ever transforms 40 today.( by means of @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 strategic plan for Hester that hinged on him certainly not touching the sphere. While the Bears' exclusive crews units were the best eruptive in the organization, the Colts positioned 30th in kickoff protection and 32nd in punt insurance coverage. Listed below is actually exactly how that strategy essentially accepted one of one of the most exciting plays in Super Bowl history.Darrell Reid, Colts protective end: "They weren't a harmful offensive crew. They had [wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad], they possessed [pass receiver] Bernard Berrian. But insurance coverage, come back, they had the greatest exclusive groups device in the NFL. Pub none. As well as the best returner, possibly in NFL record." Tony Dungy, Colts head coach: "Our company were kicking to the sections, our company're bouncing the sphere, our company're squibbing it, our experts are actually punting high, or even our experts are actually punting out of bounds. Our experts stated, 'He's certainly not visiting be an element. Our team believe we can manage their outburst.'" Vinatieri: "A lot of his returns for goals were punts, certainly not automatically kickoffs [Hester returned three punts as well as 2 firsts for TDs in 2006] We understood for sure the strategic plan was don't punt the ball to him. Attempt to punt it 40 gardens, 45 yards, away from bounds. Sacrifice some distance however perform not let him receive the sphere in his palms." Our company thought about it the other means and didn't intend to lose a lot of yardage on kickoff things, therefore since our experts have actually received a couple of our beginners in there, permit's attempt to affix him in a corner and also find if our company can easily overload that edge and also make an effort to lessen his return. Our company practiced that all full week long. It wasn't also like we were actually paniced to kick a touchback. Our team were actually additional concerned about attacking it over in the edge, as well as if he catches it at the 2- or 3-yard line but it's definitely close to the side project, then our experts could possibly try to package him in a little." Reid: "The strategic plan was our team're not visiting boot to him. He's also dangerous." Times before the game on Feb. 4, 2007, Dungy modified his mind.Dungy: "Among our pastors provided a chapel company before the game as well as referred to David and Giant and said, 'The factor David was successful is he wasn't scared. All the various other Israelites hesitated of Giant.' So I began believing, am I putting concern in to our fellas' centers? Am I playing this wrong? We can't fear of Devin Hester.Devin Hester was actually as startled as any individual that the Colts were stopping to him to open Super Dish XLI. As the storm became, Hester took the kick back and also brought in past. Donald Miralle/Getty ImagesSo, at the last minute, I transformed my mind and also mentioned if we shed the shake, our experts're going to start. Our experts're going to boot it to him, and I prefer you to go down as well as extra pound him. And when our team knock their champ down, that's heading to deliver a notification just like David." I talked about it with Russ Purnell, our unique crews trainer, and also obviously he stated we can easily cover, our company can possibly do this. Our company'll get him in the Super Bowl. Everyone intends to possess their second. Nobody wants to head out there certainly and also merely say, 'Hey, our company weren't portion of this, or our company didn't assist.' So it was mutual, however at the end of the time, it was my selection." Reid: "Two or 3 days prior to the activity I moved the guys to convince Train Dungy. I claimed, 'Our team can handle him. Our experts'll be alright.' You can inform [Dungy] regreted regarding performing it, but he's like: 'OK, I trust you individuals.'" Dave Toub, Bears unique staffs organizer: "Every game that our experts had, it was actually regularly a concern of who's mosting likely to kick to him, that isn't visiting boot to him. We knew that they had actually talked about not booting to him, however our company always presumed as a workers that they were actually visiting boot to us in the Super Bowl even if it's the Super Bowl." That's what I informed all of them Sunday evening. I said, 'They are actually visiting kick the ball right to our company.'" An unexpected tornado moved in to the Miami location on activity time as well as ditched virtually one in of rainfall over the roofless Dolphin Arena throughout the evening. A crowd of 74,512 enjoyed Hester as well as the Bears first yield team trot onto the area to get the position zing following 5 p.m. ET.John Gilmore, Bears tight end: "As a rookie, his confidence when he took the field was actually unreal. We took a lot of honor in shutting out for him. Unique staffs had not been a duty. It really did not think that you were being actually penalized for not being actually a starter. Any time you stepped on the industry with him in the return video game, it felt like, 'Male, our company can easily get it to our home.'" Chris Harris, Bears safety and security: "This is actually pre-smartphones. I keep in mind viewing all these flashes click when the sphere is being actually kicked off. That was actually unreal." Gilmore: "Going out to the video game coming from the closet space experienced unique. I've never ever really felt everything like it. It felt like the motion pictures. There were Classical candlesticks being actually skyrocketed plus all the ashes were actually boiling down in funeral pace. It absolutely possessed me badgered out. I got to the sideline and it felt like, 'Whoa, what simply occurred?' And then our company succeed the piece toss and our team are actually acquiring. Talk about an adrenaline surge." Tony Medlin, Bears equipment supervisor: "I mentioned if it enters the end zone, obtain that ball for him. That's what remained in my mind considering that it was never ever carried out, had actually never been performed prior to." Vinatieri: "In all honesty it never entered my thoughts that he will dash a sphere back for a goal. It definitely didn't. I've had 2 of them in Super Containers. I booted one to [Veggie Gulf Packers large receiver/return professional Desmond Howard] as well as he worked it back for a touchdown. So it happened to me prior to, but at no time was I believing, 'Oh my gosh, it's mosting likely to happen once more.' 2024 Pro Soccer Venue of FameThe Hall of Prominence Video Game between the Bears and also Texans (8 p.m. ET, Aug. 1) are going to be actually televised on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Deportes. u2022 Pair of participates in that determine Julius Peppers u2022 Gradishar induction long overdue u2022 Freeney puts spin on heritage u2022 Mongo's battle, experience to HOF u2022 Meet the inductees." I wasn't horrendous when our team did it. I presumed, our company'll put him in the section, our experts'll attack him inside the 25 and we'll feel good regarding our own selves. And that is actually never what occurred." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "The words that visited of my mouth [when he viewed the ball headed his method] were actually 'Divine s--.'" Hester acquired Vinatieri's kick at the 8-yard line as well as raised area to the 20. The closest a Colts guardian would certainly reach tackling him was actually safety Marlin Jackson, that was actually inches off of Hester, who sped up away from his grasp. The Bears' block being composed of Gilmore, Israel Idonije as well as Gabe Reid made a gap for Hester to blast past the first wave of Indianapolis guardians as he neared the Super Dish logo and began running alongside the Bears' sideline.Jeff Joniak, play-by-play voice for WBBM: "When he made the cut halfway of the area, I just knew it. That's what he performed. He beat everyone each time he performed that. The center of the field was actually golden for Devin. They didn't intend to boot it down the middle to Devin, but they apparently were actually considering it way too much, as well as if you believe you are actually beat. If they boot it down the center of the industry, I understood he was actually going to score." I kept discussing him being in his garden [on the show] I think I mentioned, 'Coming from Riviera Beach front to the biggest phase in sports, Devin Hester, you are ludicrous.'" Harris: "I remember reaching a person, it was actually perhaps around the little bit of Super Bowl logo design. I cracked this man and also kind of saw [Devin] flashing by. As well as when I reversed and also I saw he was actually out and all the Colts white shirts chasing him, I said, 'Okay, I've reached go fulfill him.' So I merely took off on a dead sprint because I knew he was scoring." Vinatieri: "Once he got past our first wave of people, then our team have a safety and security on each edge as well as me in the center. I knew I was actually too far from him. If I can get close sufficient to him to at least slow him down, perhaps the quest can come to him. However he outwited the piss out of me, also. That is actually the important things concerning Devin. When he has a little of area, with that vision, he's unstoppable.Chicago's Devin Hester races 92 gardens for a touchdown along with the opening first in Super Bowl XLI. Joe Rimkus Jr./ Miami Herald/MCT" When I dove and also didn't touch him in any way, I felt like 'damn.' It's comical because after one play, my shirt is actually dirtier than any person's on the area." Hester [to ChicagoBears.com]: "There was excessive open area, so I recognized ideal after that and also there [after Vinatieri's effort] It had not been a condition where I was actually pinned to a sideline as well as possessed the subsidiary working against me. Our company were in the available field, so I understood he had not been going to get me." Joniak: "I always remember [Colts linebacker] Matt Giordano was tracking him down as well as Devin searched for. I was asking yourself why he was actually searching for eventually to discover that he was actually examining himself on the scoreboard. Matt caught him as well as only tripped him up as well as he detected the end area for the touchdown." The Bears' drive will advance the next drive as they opened up a 14-6 top, but the Colts took management in the 2nd area for a 16-14 halftime edge.Toub: "Our team started the activity with a touchdown and our company presumed it was mosting likely to be an ass-whipping. Definitely didn't end up in this way, even though we emerged as well as we acquired a choice right after that, extremely. We presumed our company had all sort of momentum at that point and then undoubtedly it wound up moving on our team." Dwight Freeney, Colts protective end: "I believe the something concerning that was it was the 1st play of the video game. That in fact functioned in our perk considering that if it was everything behind that, like in in the fourth quarter, it would resemble, 'Oh my The lord!' It would certainly be a tough point to bounce back coming from." Yet our company possessed 4 quarters to recoup as well as put that behind us. Therefore, for our company it was kind of like, 'Okay, our company tried. Shame on our company and afterwards our experts can keep it relocating right now.' Given that ultimately, we understood offensively our experts were visiting count more than 7 points, as well as I knew defensively our company were heading to keep all of them coming from scoring." Vinatieri: "Their entire team is actually fired up and also thrilled. Currently when they kick off to our team, their self defense is actually going to be happening a thousand kilometers a hr due to the fact that the momentum is actually currently on their edge ... however the simple fact that there was actually still 59 1/2 mins left in the game, we knew it had not been over by any means. Our team just knew that this is actually the man that will certainly trash the game for our team if our experts don't prevent that. And definitely only seeing that 1st play was actually evidence of that. Let's certainly not kick him another ball." Gilmore: "They obtained brilliant as well as determined to boot it to John Gilmore. I possessed two returns because video game. That's what happens when Devin takes the opening first for a touchdown." ESPN's Stephen Holder added to this report.