Devin, you were ridiculous
From 1st Super Bowl punch to ‘Forrest Gump’ moment, the 10 (plus 1) most memorable plays of Hall finalist Hester’s Bears career
As Devin Hester awaits word Thursday about whether he was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot, here’s a look back at the top moments from the career of the greatest returner in Chicago Bears — and NFL — history.
1. A Super opening punch The date: Feb. 4, 2007 The play:
For younger Bears fans, this might rank as the top play of their lifetime. A late decision by Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy to kick to Hester in order to set a tone in Super Bowl XLI backfired in a big way. Hester, an All-Pro rookie with six regular-season return touchdowns, fielded Adam Vinatieri’s opening kickoff at the 8-yard line near the left sideline. He broke to his right, shot up the middle through a hole and then raced down the right sideline, outrunning three Colts over the final 50 yards. His 92-yard return gave the Bears a 7-0 lead just 14 seconds into the game. It was an unforgettable start to a disappointing day for the Bears, who lost 29-17.
Ranking in Bears Top 100 moments: No. 7
The quote: “We knew deep down we were capable of returning one. But when it all boils down, that return didn’t mean a thing. The only thing that really matters is who came out with the victory.” — Hester, after the game
2. The greatest comeback
The date: Oct. 16, 2006
The play: Hester’s 83-yard punt return for a touchdown with 2:58 to play against the Arizona Cardinals completed one of the greatest comebacks in Bears history. The Bears were down 20-0 at halftime and 23-3 late in the third quarter before rallying on two fumble returns for touchdowns by Mike Brown and Charles Tillman and Hester’s second career punt return score. Hester weaved through multiple Cardinals defenders on the way to the end zone, sprinting out of reach of one last tackle attempt at the 10 for a 24-23 lead. The Bears held on to set off one of the most memorable postgame rants of all time by Cardinals coach Dennis Green.
Ranking in Bears Top 100 moments: No. 17
The quote: “My only mindset was to break one. I’m saying to myself: ‘This is my time now. Everybody else is making plays. When are you going to make a play, Devin?
Everybody else is playing ball. It’s your time, so step up.’ ” — Hester before the 10-year anniversary of the comeback
3. The debut
The date: Sept. 10, 2006
The play: The 57th pick in the 2006 draft showed why the Bears drafted him when he took Jon Ryan’s punt 84 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter of his regular-season debut. It was the cherry on top of a 26-0 victory over the Green Bay Packers for a Bears team that would go on to win 13 regular-season games and make the Super Bowl. And it was the first of Hester’s three career touchdowns against the Bears’ NFC North rivals — two on punt returns and one scoring catch.
Ranking in Bears Top 100 moments: No. 51
The quote: “I would say returning punts is 20% coaching and 80% natural instinct. You can’t just put anybody out there. You feel when somebody is up on you so you don’t have to look. It’s just something God blesses you with — and I have it.” — Hester the week after his debut
4. The rookie’s record
The date: Dec. 11, 2006
The plays: The first of Hester’s seven career two-touchdown games came in a 42-27 victory over the St. Louis Rams to clinch a first-round playoff bye. His 94-yard kickoff return in the second quarter was his fifth return touchdown of the year, setting an NFL single-season record. He then returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, using an incredible burst to break through for 60 yards of open field. On the second touchdown, Bears radio broadcaster Jeff Joniak coined the phrase, “Devin Hester, you are ridiculous!”
Ranking in Bears Top 100 moments: No. 61
The quote: “That was just a little shout-out (to Deion Sanders) for all of the dedication and hard work he has been putting in with me. And the time he has spent with me … just keeping my head on straight and just being there for a mentor.” — Hester on celebrating his touchdowns by high-stepping into the end zone
5. All-time best The date: Dec. 20, 2010 The play:
On a snow-frosted field at TCF Bank Stadium against the Minnesota Vikings, Hester solidified his standing as the best kick returner in NFL history with a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was his 14th kickoff or punt return for a touchdown, breaking Brian Mitchell’s record. The third-quarter return in a 40-14 rout was relatively easy by Hester’s
standards. He evaded one tackle attempt and then scooted the rest of the way untouched down the right sideline. The game also was memorable for being the last of Brett Favre’s career.
Ranking in Bears Top 100 moments: No. 95
The quote: “Coming out of college, coaches told me I wasn’t going to be anything but a kickoff and punt returner. But I’m here today to say I am a kickoff and punt returner, but at the same time, I’m the best to ever do it.” — An emotional Hester after the game
6. The 108-yard field goal return
The date: Nov. 12, 2006
The play: When Hester caught New York Giants kicker Jay Feely’s 52-yard field-goal attempt in the end zone, he hesitated and walked a couple of steps forward. Then he sprinted across the goal line and down the right sideline, benefiting from several teammates’ blocks as he ran 108 yards into the other end zone. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub said afterward the hesitation wasn’t a part of the play design and Hester simply decided to go when he saw his teammates set up a wall. The only missed field goal return for a touchdown of Hester’s career equaled Nathan Vasher’s 108-yard missed field goal return a year earlier for the longest play in Bears history. The Bears won 38-20.
The quote: “I think Nathan’s was a little harder.” — Hester, after the game
7. Topping Deion Sanders The date: Sept. 18, 2014 The play:
Hester considered Sanders a mentor, so it was a big moment when he broke Sanders’ record of 19 career return touchdowns during Hester’s final season with the Atlanta Falcons. Hester’s 62-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — the final return touchdown of his career — gave him 20 in the regular season. He
ended with 14 punt returns, five kickoff returns and one missed field goal return for scores. Sanders’ total included nine interception returns and one fumble recovery return. Sanders was present at the game as a TV analyst, and Hester again honored him by high-stepping into the end zone. Sanders and Hester met for an emotional postgame interview in which Sanders told Hester how proud he was and Hester expressed his gratitude.
The quote: “I tried to get the football for you, but they said it’s probably on the way to Canton right now.” — Hester joking with Sanders after the game
8. Breakthrough vs. Packers The date: Sept. 27, 2010 The play:
Hester went two seasons and 30 games without a return touchdown, but he ended the drought with a 62-yard punt return in the fourth quarter of a 20-17 win over the Packers. He shot through a hole at the 50-yard line and leaped over one final Packers defender at the 5 to give the Bears a 14-10 lead. The quote: “It felt good, a lot of relief and at the same time a humbling experience, so I’m not going to brag about it. (But) our special teams is getting our ‘swag’ back.” — Hester after the game
9. Going long vs. Vikings The date: Oct. 14, 2007 The play:
Hester scored 10 touchdowns against the Vikings in his career, more than any other team. In this game, a 34-31 Vikings win, Hester had a career-long 81-yard touchdown reception and an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown, tied for the longest of his career. The Vikings tried to punt away from Hester in the first quarter. But he ran it down for an overthe-shoulder catch at the 11-yard line and then broke to the right sideline, leaving three Vikings tacklers in his wake. In the fourth quarter, Bears quarterback Brian Griese launched a deep ball to
Hester, who outran a defender to the end zone to tie it.
The quote: “If it’s 1 yard or 99 yards, a touchdown’s a touchdown.” — Hester after the game
10a. The one-handed catch vs. Cowboys
The date: Sept. 19, 2010
The play: A lot of moments could go in this spot, including Hester’s two-return-touchdown game in 2007 against the Denver Broncos or his career-long 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Vikings in 2011, also part of a two-touchdown game. But we’ll give a nod to another of Hester’s 16 career receiving touchdowns. The Bears were trailing the Dallas Cowboys 14-10 when Jay Cutler threw a pass from the 9-yard line to the back left corner of the end zone. Hester reached out with his right arm and pulled in the ball with one hand, securing it against his chest as he got both feet in before tumbling out of the end zone. The Bears went ahead for good in the 27-20 victory. The quote: “No. 1, I just wanted to secure the ball and keep my feet in bounds. Great throw by Jay. He put it exactly the place it needed to be.” — Hester, after the game
10b. Hester’s leap
The date: Nov. 25, 2007
The play: OK, so maybe 10 isn’t enough for a player as special as Hester. He had what the Tribune called his “Forrest Gump” moment when he returned a third-quarter punt against the Broncos 75 yards, leaping over punter Todd Sauerbrun at the 30-yard line and running straight through the end zone to the tunnel. “I had to slow myself down,” he said. “I couldn’t stop.” He added an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Bears’ 37-34 overtime win. The scores made up for a muffed punt earlier in the game.
The quote: “Every time I’m out there I feel like I’m going to be the guy who makes a play. That’s my mentality. If a player doesn’t have that, then they don’t need to be on the field.” — Hester, after the game