Devin Hester scored a record 20 return touchdowns in his NFL career. He added one more magical moment in Super Bowl 41, running back the opening kickoff for a score against the Colts.
Hester was spectacular as a rookie, bursting on the scene for the Bears. He built his legend early and ended up scoring 14 times on punts, six times on kickoffs, and once on a missed field-goal attempt return. The latter was his longest-ever play, going for 108 yards from end zone to end zone.
Although many returners and similar special teams stars came before him, Hester set a new standard in his specific, non-wide receiver role. He showcased exceptional speed and quickness, making multiple would-be tacklers miss in the open field.
From 2006-2016, stamped by a fine decade in Chicago and Atlanta combined, here’s looking back on the six best scoring plays in Hester’s career that helped make him the first primary return man inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
Devin Hester career highlights
Because the NFL doesn’t always allow video embedding, we’ve linked to these highlights in the text.
Just Crown Him
Oct. 16, 2006: Week 6 at Cardinals
The Bears played Monday night in Arizona with Mike Tirico on the call for ESPN. They fell behind 20-0 and mounted an epic comeback in the second half, much to the post-game press conference chagrin of Cardinals coach Dennis Green.
Although Green felt Chicago was “let off the hook”, the “crowning” blow didn’t come until Hester, with 2:58 left in the fourth quarter, turned a 23-17 deficit into a 24-23 victory with his 83-yard punt return. The typical Tirico excitement ensued as Hester weaved through the middle for the game-winning TD.
The OG Kick Six
Nov. 12, 2006: Week 9 at Giants
The Bears were in a battle in this Sunday night game in New York with Al Michaels on the call. Jay Feely, with his Giants down 24-20 early in the fourth quarter, attempted a 52-yard field goal into swirling November winds.
Feely came up well short of the height and distance needed, and the ball fell right into a lurking Hester’s hands near the goalpost. At first, he feigned like he would not bring the ball out of the end zone, baiting the Giants’ special teams coverage into a lull before beelining to the right sideline and outrunning everybody for paydirt.
Back to Miami with a Super Bang
Feb. 4, 2007: Super Bowl 41 vs. Colts
Future Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri decided to put the opening kickoff deep in the direction of Hester. Although Vinatieri forced Hester to field the ball with little room on the left side at the Bears’ 8-yard line, the Colts’ atrocious coverage team wasn’t up to the task of containing Hester.
He shot himself out of a cannon and through them all to put the Bears up 7-0. Unfortunately, that was their only lead of the game as Peyton Manning came back to lead a 29-17 Colts rout.
“Devin Hester, You Are Ridiculous!”
Dec. 11, 2006: Week 13 at Rams
Hester had his biggest game as a game-changing rookie in St. Louis, scoring a difference-making two kickoff return TDs in a 42-27 victory. The first was a 94-yard scamper early in the first quarter to answer a Torry Holt TD. The second was a 96-yard explosion midway through the fourth quarter to put the game away.
With his dazzling debut season doubling up in St. Louis, Bears play-by-play announcer came up those five words above to sum up Hester’s unique Hall of Fame talent.
The First Score
Sept 10, 2006, Week 1 at Packers
Hester puts the exclamation point on 26-0 season-opening shutout of the Bears’ rivals in Green Bay by taking a Jon Ryan fourth-quarter punt 84 yards for a touchdown after quickly finding room to speed down the right sideline.
The Last Score
Sept 14, 2014: Week 3 vs. Buccaneers
Hester gets into the record books in style as a Falcon, separating from Deion Sanders with his all-time best 20th combined return TD.
Knowing what he was about to do while flying downfield on a Thursday night home game in Atlanta, Hester burst into the end zone with his version of “Prime Time” high-stepping.
