Moments in NFL History: Devin Hester inks rookie deal, embarks on Hall of Fame career
“A fast start delivered by the ‘Windy City Flyer,’ the man they called ‘Anytime’ down here in Miami. Riviera Beach, Florida, to the big stage, the biggest in professional sports. DEVIN HESTER, you are ridiculous!"
Jeff Joniak, radio voice of the Chicago Bears, exclaimed those words following Hester’s 92-yard opening kickoff return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLI. It was an electrifying start to a Super Bowl that saw a clash of strengths.
The Bears dominated on the defensive side of the ball, led by Hall of Famer BRIAN URLACHER. Contrastingly, the Indianapolis Colts possessed a dynamic offense led by Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING and spearheaded on the outside by wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON.
Despite the galvanizing in their first return to the Super Bowl in over 20 years, the Bears fell to the Colts on a rainy Sunday night, 29-17. Hester remains the only player in NFL history to return the opening kickoff of a Super Bowl for a touchdown.
On this date (July 2) 20 years ago, Hester signed a four-year rookie deal with the Bears. This signing succeeded his time at Suncoast High School and a three-year stint at the University of Miami, where he was not only a dual-sport athlete but one of the best utility players in the country.
Hester’s time in high school was nothing short of remarkable. As a senior, he recorded more than 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving while also throwing for five touchdowns and compiling 156 tackles on defense. He was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in Florida and No. 6 prospect in the nation by SuperPrep.
Off the football field, he ranked second in the country in the long jump during his junior year. An all-around athlete, Hester was recruited by the top programs in the country. He ultimately chose Miami over a host of other great schools, including Florida State and Georgia.
“I got the opportunity to watch their practice and see how they work… and it sold me,” Hester said exclusively to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in a recent interview.
As a freshman, the Riviera Beach native led the Canes in kickoff return yards (517 yards), ranked sixth in the country in kickoff return average (28.7 yards) and returned the opening kickoff of the game against rival Florida 97 yards for a touchdown. Following his freshman football campaign, Hester competed in track and field for Miami. At the 2004 Big East Indoor Championships, he came in first place in the long jump (7.37 meters) and third in the 60-meter dash (6.82 seconds).
His second year in Coral Gables was anything but a sophomore slump. Hester broke out for three punt return touchdowns, one kickoff return touchdown and was selected as a first-team All-ACC kick returner. He also molded into one of the most dynamic defensive players in the ACC, leading the Canes in interceptions (4).
In January 2005, Hester decided to forgo competing in track and committed himself to football.
“I had some nagging injuries that held me back for track and field my sophomore year,” he told the Hall of Fame.
By the time Hester stepped on the field as a junior, opposing teams were fully aware of how dangerous he was as a returner. He logged only seven kickoff return attempts as teams kicked away from him. The star continued to display his skill on punt returns, totaling 312 yards and a touchdown during the 2005 season.
Following his junior season, Hester declared for the 2006 NFL Draft. He left Miami widely regarded as one of most versatile players in the country. He was given the nickname “Anytime” during his stint Coral Gables because he could score any time he touched the ball. The tag also acted as an ode to Hall of Fame cornerback DEION SANDERS whose moniker then and still is “Prime Time.”
The Bears selected Hester in the second round with the 57th overall pick, and he made an immediate impact. As a rookie, he led the NFL in punt return yards (600), punt return touchdowns (3) and kickoff return touchdowns (2), which led to his selections to the Pro Bowl and as a first-team All-Pro member.
“I was mad about my draft situation, going in the second round,” Hester told the Hall regarding his Year 1 motivation. “I wanted to prove that all the teams that passed on me made a mistake.”
As Hester emerged as one of the premier returners in the NFL, the Bears began to utilize him as a receiver. Throughout the rest of his career, Hester was used in short-yardage situations to get him into open space, where he excelled. In the 2009 NFL season, Hester hauled in 57 receptions for a career-best 757 yards with three touchdowns.
Even with his added receiving duties, Hester never lost his prowess returning kicks and punts. He continued to make defenders miss with his speed and agility, earning the label “Windy City Flyer.” In 2013 and 2014, he recorded back-to-back seasons with more than 1,000 kickoff return yards.
After eight seasons with the Bears (2006-2013), Hester played two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2014-15) before finishing out his career in Baltimore and Seattle in 2016.
Hester’s career combined return touchdowns (20) and punt return touchdowns (14) stand as NFL records. He was voted to the NFL 100 All-Time Team as one of only two returners honored as part of the NFL’s 100th season. Five years later, Hester was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the Class of 2024, forever etching his legacy in the game of football. He is the first and only primary returner to wear the Gold Jacket created by Haggar.
“I accepted my calling that God had in store for me, and by me embracing it, it made me the best returner to ever walk the face of this earth,” Hester said during his Enshrinement speech.
This article, written by Andy Caron of the Hall of Fame Communications Team, is part of recurring series celebrating memorable moments in NFL history.