The Untold Story of Devin Hester’s Super Bowl 41 Opening Kickoff: “Almost Just Natural Instinct”
Devin Hester, a member of the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, holds one of the most electrifying and unmatched records in NFL history: the most punt returns for touchdowns all-time, with 14. Yet, one play stands alone as a testament to his game-breaking talent: the opening kickoff of Super Bowl 41. He spoke about the play in an episode of The Game Before the Money Podcast.
Devin Hester remains the only player in NFL history to return the opening kickoff of a Super Bowl for a touchdown. The monumental play occurred in Super Bowl 41 between the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts.
The Super Bowl 41 Return, in Devin Hester’s Own Words
When asked to walk through the famous return for The Game Before the Money Podcast, Hester recounted the moment, highlighting the instinctive nature of his play: “At that moment, you know what I mean, I surprised a guy kind of showed up in the hole out of nowhere, you know. And it was uh almost just natural instinct of making that guy, avoiding that guy, making them miss.”
After avoiding that crucial defender, the rest of the play relied on his teammates’ execution. Hester stated, “And from that point on, the rest of my teammates pretty much did everything else and I just took it on into the end zone”.
Using the Jumbotron to His Advantage
Another memorable moment of the return was Hester looking up at the Jumbotron near the end zone. He explained that this was a move to ensure his safety and comfort as he approached the score:”Yeah, you know, whenever I’m um running—running a kick back and I don’t see nobody in the screen, like, you know you can ease up and—and kind of make sure you don’t—you don’t pull a hamstring or anything like that”.
He felt comfortable running the rest of the way until a defender “popped up at the last minute”.
A Special Homecoming
Adding to the significance of the play was the location of Super Bowl 41: Miami. Hester had played his college ball in Miami and grew up only about an hour and 20 minutes from the city. This allowed him to perform on the biggest stage in front of friends and family. Did he sense something special might happen?
“Most definitely. You know, whenever you get an opportunity to play back home and you’re playing in the—the greatest game in—in national football league, which is the Super Bowl, you get an opportunity to play in your hometown, you know, you always want to make a statement and show your friends and your family, you know what I mean, what you’re capable of doing and what you can do.”
The Mindset of a Return Specialist
Hester’s success wasn’t solely about speed; it was also about strategic patience and reading the field. When discussing his strategy, he mentioned waiting a beat before advancing on kickoff returns: “I just try not to outrun my coverage unit, you know what I mean? Sometimes the ball gets kicked and the guys are not down there right away, so you kind of try to buy time for your guys—my teammates—get in better position to make blocks.”
He credited his college years for instilling the crucial elements of his game, including patience, mindset, and preparation:”it taught me the patience um as a returner on the skills, the mindset, uh the preparation most definitely was—was a key. Um, and just really understanding the lanes and the holes and kind of figuring out a way to to read blocks a little better.”
This combination of patience, vision, and natural instinct culminated in the unforgettable Super Bowl 41 opening kickoff return, cementing Devin Hester’s legacy as perhaps the greatest return specialist in football history. Devin Hester is currently the only return specialist in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Learn more about Devin Hester at his page on Pro Football Reference.
Paying it forward:
Devin Hester appeared on The Game Before the Money Podcast on behalf of a partnership between Mike Ditka’s Gridiron Greats and Southern Recipe Pork Rinds. Football fans can register to win a trip to the 2027 Super Bowl at PorkRinds.com. February 8, 2026 is Pork Rind Appreciation Day.
