:: proCanes

Hester off to fast start in new position

Jul/30/07 03:36 PM | Permalink

BOURBONNAIS -- Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner watched another strong practice performance by converted wide receiver Devin Hester, then pondered the question whether he's ever had someone so quick in his offense.

"Maybe one time. I had a guy in an all-star game, the Blue-Gray Game, a guy named Steve Smith," Turner said about the Carolina Panthers star. "Maybe Steve Smith. That might be about the only guy.

"I didn't know much about Steve Smith and I saw him catch a pass in that game, a 10-yard hook. He caught it; the next thing I knew it was an 80-yard touchdown. I said, 'Whoa.' I hadn't seen anything like that before. But (Hester has) got the same kind of explosiveness."

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Hester catching on quickly as receiver

Jul/30/07 03:35 PM | Permalink

Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner watched another strong practice performance by converted wide receiver Devin Hester, then pondered a question about whether he's ever had someone so quick in his offense.

"Maybe one time. I had a guy in an all-star game, the Blue-Gray game, a guy named Steve Smith," Turner said about the Carolina Panthers star. "Maybe Steve Smith. That might be about the only guy.

"I didn't know much about Steve Smith, and I saw him catch a pass in that game, a 10-yard hook. He caught it; the next thing I knew, it was an 80-yard touchdown. I said, 'Whoa.' I hadn't seen anything like that before. But he's (Hester) got the same kind of explosiveness."

Hester caught a few more short passes and broke them Saturday morning. He also displayed a knack for running sharp sideline routes and showed good hands on a well-executed, 12-yard square-out.

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Hester takes home an ESPY.

Jul/12/07 10:00 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears won an ESPY award in Los Angeles last night (Wednesday). Hester walked away with the breakthrough athlete award at the show honoring the year's best sports moments and athletes at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. Hester set an N-F-L record last year for kick returns for touchdowns, and he started off the Super Bowl with a 92-yard kickoff runback for a touchdown. The ESPY Awards air Sunday at eight p-m central time on E-S-P-N.

(wjbdradio.com)

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Devin Hester Update

Jun/21/07 04:44 PM | Permalink

1. Their offense added one of the NFL's most explosive players.

Devin Hester lined up at running back and wide receiver throughout OTAs and never looked unnatural or awkward. He immediately gives the Bears an element of unpredictability they didn't have in 2006.

And despite all the documented evidence that will be offered to suggest adding receiver duties will hurt Hester's return game, a dropoff from six regular-season returns for touchdowns was inevitable anyway.

(chicagotribune.com)

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Devin Hester Update

Jun/19/07 09:53 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester’s IQ. Hester, the dynamic return man, reportedly has trouble digesting nuances in the playbook.

(nwherald.com)

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Hester nears liftoff - Ex-defensive back getting a kick out of switch to offense

Jun/14/07 10:10 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester can't contain his enthusiasm. His defensive teammates can't contain Hester.

The scene is all so reminiscent of last season, when opposing teams could only watch helplessly as Hester juked and sprinted past them for an NFL-record six kick returns for touchdowns during his Pro Bowl rookie campaign.

For an encore this season, Hester also is lining up from scrimmage as a wide receiver during the Bears' organized team activities in Lake Forest.

One of Hester's favorite plays is when he deceives the defense on fakes.

"That's the fun part about it," Hester said with a huge smile and a giggle after Wednesday's workout.

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Hester looks great

May/30/07 10:10 AM | Permalink

The experiment never worked at the U. of Miami, but Chicago’s super return man, Devin Hester, looked like a natural at receiver in recent mini-camp work. The first two days of camp, he didn’t drop a pass. He ran solid, crisp routes and, basically, had his teammates and coaches raving about him.

Give head coach Lovie Smith high marks for convincing Hester to junk cornerback for being a wide receiver.

“It was more exciting than I really thought it would be,” Hester said. “Whenever a player gets his hands on the ball and knows what he can do with it, it's a lot of fun.”

After the catch, Hester routinely made players miss. The new dimension should be great for Rex Grossman and also alleviate the frustration that Hester, who returned six kicks for touchdowns last season, will face when punters and kickers kick away from during the season. The Bears needed to find a way for Hester to get more touches.

On kickoffs, Hester will be paired with safety Danieal Manning, former college kickoff specialist, in hopes they can form a 1-2 punch. He will still wear No. 23 and be listed as a running back/receiver.

(foxsports.com)

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Who's Hot? Devin Hester

May/28/07 11:22 AM | Permalink

The Bears couldn't be happier with Hester's transition from cornerback. He is proving to be a good route runner, sure-handed, and, after the catch, he has made defenders miss. Chicago is satisfied it has found a new weapon.

(star-telegram.com)

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History not working in Hester's favor

May/23/07 10:00 AM | Permalink

There is already so much hype surrounding the transition of Chicago Bears kick returner Devin Hester into an offensive player that I'm hoping he lives up to the expectations.

The real question, however, isn't whether Hester can make a significant contribution on that side of the football. It's whether he'll still be able to produce those breathtaking returns that made him a Pro Bowler during his rookie season in the NFL. After all, it's hard enough to be an electrifying return man in this league. To do it year after year, well, that's proven to be fairly difficult for most players.

This isn't to knock Hester, who scored an NFL-record six return touchdowns in 2006. It's just a fact. Returning kicks takes guts and guile, and recent history really hasn't been very kind to players who make their names with that specialty. In today's NFL, anything can hamper a return man's dominance, whether it's the loss of a couple key blockers, the departure of a special-teams coach, or in the case of Hester, outright fear by opponents.

"The opportunities for me probably aren't going to be what they were last season because teams know me now," Hester says. "It's tough for good returners because you can go from having 30 to 40 returns one season to 15 or 20 the next. That's a big part of why guys don't keep putting up the same numbers."

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Hester begins transition

May/21/07 11:22 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST — Devin Hester’s former “brothers” keep telling him what he can’t do.

“You’ve got no routes. You can’t do this. You can’t do that. We can run with you. Stuff like that. We’re just teasing him,” Bears cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. explained.

“There’s a lot of joking around, because I played DB,” Hester said as his conversion from a defensive back to wide receiver began Friday at the Bears first minicamp of 2007. The minicamp finished Sunday.

“Those guys are great guys,” Hester continued. “I spent a whole year with them and had a lot of fun. It’s like a brotherly challenge. Everyone wants to go against me as a DB.”

You know it’s a tease, because the Bears seem to think there is nothing Hester can’t do after he returned an NFL-record six kicks for touchdowns as a rookie. He added a seventh with the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl.

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Smith's diplomacy hooked Hester - Coach gradually sold move to offense

May/20/07 10:37 AM | Permalink

Lovie Smith can order players to do pretty much whatever he deems important for football. But when he decided Devin Hester could help the Bears more on offense than defense, he knew the move would go better if Hester bought into it.

The coach didn't want to force Hester, whose mentor and football idol is former cornerback/returner Deion Sanders, to give up being a defensive back.

So Smith started making "suggestions" to Hester over the last two months.

"It went from once a month to once a week to every day," Hester said, laughing. "So I said, 'There's no 'I' in team,' and if the head coach thinks it's going to be better for the team …

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Bears to give Hester a look at wide receiver

May/17/07 11:04 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (May 14, 2007) -- Devin Hester is taking his game-breaking skills to the Chicago Bears' offense.

Hester set an NFL record last year for kick returns for touchdowns, and he started off the Super Bowl with a 92-yard kickoff runback for a touchdown. He rarely played on anything but special teams, though, and when he did, it was as a cornerback.

Now, the Bears will try him as a wide receiver.

Coach Lovie Smith said the All-Pro return specialist will make the switch beginning with the upcoming minicamp.

"I think Devin Hester is one of the most exciting players in the NFL with his hands on the football," Smith told ChicagoBears.com. "I think he would be an excellent defensive back, also. We just feel that this is in the best interest of us and him for him to achieve his full potential as a football player."

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Hester will now catch them if he can - Potential upside huge, but Bears need to keep it simple for it to work

May/15/07 04:03 PM | Permalink

See defender. Run past him. Catch the ball.

Celebrate.

If the instructions for new Bears wide receiver Devin Hester are much more complicated than that, the team risks turning a necessary position switch into a failed experiment.

Don't issue Hester an offensive playbook. Give him a cocktail napkin with doodles. The simpler it is for Hester the harder it will be for opposing defenses to stop one of the fastest players in the league.

"There are only a few guys in the league who can make people miss and do the things [Hester] can do with the football," coach Lovie Smith said.

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Rex Grossman Gets Another Weapon: Devin Hester

May/14/07 06:31 PM | Permalink

It was only a matter of time, I guess. After six special teams touchdowns his rookie season, Devin Hester -- a man without a true position -- will be joining the offense. Hester was listed as a cornerback at the University of Miami, but that's not why the Bears selected him in the second round of the 2006 draft. Whatever, he's taking his skillz to the other side of the ball:

Hester will work with the wide receivers at minicamp, but he's also expected to line up in the backfield at times and could be utilized like the New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush.

Well, Chicago could utilize him like Reggie Bush, but I'm pretty sure that'll be where the comparisons end. I'm envisioning more of an Antwaan Randle El-type role. Whatever, I think it's a good idea. Hester is obviously a scoring threat, and if nothing else, he'll take some of the pressure of Rex Grossman. Which reminds me, maybe Hester can line up at quarterback for a few snaps every game too. It couldn't hurt.

(nfl.aolsportsblog.com)

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Hester Madden Commercial

Apr/28/07 11:48 AM | Permalink

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Kreutz, Hester win Piccolo Award

Apr/28/07 11:41 AM | Permalink

The Bears on Thursday announced center Olin Kreutz and return specialist Devin Hester as the winners of the Brian Piccolo Award for the 2006 season.

The award, voted on by teammates, goes to a veteran and a rookie who “best exemplify the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor of the late Brian Piccolo.”

Kreutz, who also won the award for 2003 and 2004, is the only player to receive the honor more than once as a veteran. Left tackle John Tait is the only other player to win it in the last four years.

(nwherald.com)

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Hester is Perfectly Fast

Apr/25/07 07:34 PM | Permalink

The Bears may not have won the Super Bowl this year, but maybe fans can take some pride in being the home to the most perfectly fast man in the NFL, ever.

The essential football video game, Madden '08, will feature the Bear's All-Pro Devin Hester as the first player to ever receive a perfect 100 in the speed category (maybe in any category, but we can't find any support for that).

Deion Sanders, Randy Moss, and Charles Woodson all received the meager rating of 99, a full point less than Hester's blazing digital speed. Supposedly, Hester has been lobbying for the increase, but at least he acted surprised when it was announced, saying, "That's just about the best thing you could have told me. It's an honor -- I don't know what to say, really."

Luckily, no Bear player will grace the cover of the game, thus allowing one less team in Chicago to blame losing the big one on a curse (See: The Madden Cover Curse)

(chicagoist.com)

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Hester's Pearl

Apr/20/07 07:57 AM | Permalink

HESTER’S PEARL: In this year’s Super Bowl, Chicago Bears cornerback Devin Hester took the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. He set an NFL record with six touchdown returns during the regular season. But he may be receiving the ultimate honor when “Madden NFL 08” comes out: He’s the first player awarded a perfect 100 speed rating.

Hester’s 100 elevates him above such legendary speedsters as Deion Sanders and Randy Moss. “That’s just about the best thing you could have told me,” he told ESPN.com. “It’s an honor.”

(nwherald.com)

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Hester Sings Take Me Out To The Ballgame"

Apr/10/07 08:34 AM | Permalink

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Hester Throws out First Pitch 7 Sings "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"

Apr/10/07 08:29 AM | Permalink

Bear down: Throwing out the ceremonial first pitch was Bears' special teams ace Devin Hester, who had an NFL-record six return touchdowns last season.

Wearing a Cubs jersey with his name stenciled on the back, Hester also was guest conductor for "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch. Joining him on the field was Bears coach Lovie Smith.

"I was only a little worried," Hester said. "The pitching part is more athletic, but the singing part is all vocal and you gotta know the words. But Chicago fans are the greatest and if I could tell 'em to their faces, I'd let 'em know they're the spark of my life."

(nwitimes.com)

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The More Devin Hester, the Better

Apr/09/07 12:46 PM | Permalink

In just one season in the NFL, Devin Hester has become a household name. His explosiveness and blazing speed have broken many a game wide open – just ask the Arizona Cardinals – and his penchant for finding the end zone gives heartburn to opposing coaches. Bears’ fans are itching to see more of their All-Pro return man next season, and Lovie Smith feels the same way.

“You could argue that he’s the most exciting player in the NFL with his hands on the ball,” Smith says.

Dilemma:

“Exciting” may be an understatement. After setting an NFL regular-season record with 6 returns for a touchdown (which does not include his amazing 92-yard dash on the first play of Super Bowl XLI) the Bears have begun mulling over the different ways they may be able to use Hester next season. Although he played on only special teams and defense in 2006, Smith and offensive coordinator Ron Turner are not ruling out the possibility of playing the former Miami Hurricane on offense in 2007.

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Devin Hester: Fastest Player in Madden History

Apr/07/07 12:50 PM | Permalink

The Madden video game has never given a player a perfect score of 100 in one of its skill ratings. Until now. Bears return man Devin Hester, who set an NFL record with six kick return touchdowns in the regular season and then added another in the Super Bowl, has scored a 100 in the speed category.

"That's just about the best thing you could have told me," Hester said with a huge smile, when informed of his new Speed rating. "It's an honor -- I don't know what to say, really."

Among the players who have had a 99 speed rating in the past are Deion Sanders, Randy Moss and Charles Woodson. I don't think Hester is as fast as Sanders and Moss were in their primes, but Madden ratings aren't exactly the most precise measurements in the world. It's still pretty cool to see someone get a 100.

(aolsportsblog.com)

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Bears mulling whether to move Hester to offense

Apr/03/07 11:31 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Ron Turner isn’t exactly straddling the fence when it comes to the debate about whether to move Devin Hester to the offensive side of the ball.

“He’s obviously a special talent, and to be honest with you, I’ve been trying to recruit him since the day we drafted him,” the Bears offensive coordinator said Sunday at the fan convention. “I’m going to keep working on that and see if we can get him on offense.”

Hester was named All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl after setting an NFL record with six combined kick return touchdowns. His seventh, a 92-yarder on the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI, was voted the team’s top play of the season in a poll on ChicagoBears.com.

“He’s shown what he can do when he gets the ball in his hands,” Turner said. “If he’s on offense and we can get his hands on the ball six, seven or eight more times a game, who knows what he might be able to do with it. So we’ll keep working on that.”

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Jury still out on Hester's role in 2007

Apr/01/07 02:29 PM | Permalink

The Bears think of it as a no-lose situation.

Nevertheless, the best way to deploy Devin Hester in 2007 remains a difficult decision chiefly because the Pro Bowl kick returner wants to play defense rather than offense.

"As you look at Devin Hester at the University of Miami, he played running back a little bit, of course he played wide receiver and he played defensive back," Bears coach Lovie Smith said at the team's 10th annual fan convention Saturday. "We've had discussions about him playing all of those positions. It makes sense.

"First off, you could argue that he's the most exciting player in the National Football League with his hands on the ball. So why wouldn't we move him to the offensive side of the football? But you also have to play guys where their heart is. Devin's heart is on the defensive side of the football -- but he likes scoring touchdowns."

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Devin Hester Update

Feb/28/07 07:08 PM | Permalink

Don't be surprised to see Bears Pro Bowl RS Devin Hester on offense in 2007. "That's something that I think our coaches are going to talk about at length. It wouldn't surprise me," Chicago GM Jerry Angelo said at the scouting combine.

(profootballweekly.com)

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Hester may get chance on offense next season

Feb/26/07 11:04 PM | Permalink

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s not official yet, but indications are that the Bears might not be able to resist the temptation to move Devin Hester to offense.

The latter of the Bears’ two second-round picks, 57th overall, Hester spent his rookie season developing his limited cornerback techniques but made an instant impact by returning 6 kicks for touchdowns, plus another in the Super Bowl.

“We need to get the ball in Devin’s hands,” coach Lovie Smith said. “The more times we put the ball in Devin’s hands, the better our chances are.”

When late-season injuries to starting cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nate Vasher forced Hester onto the field as the nickel cornerback in passing situations, his production in the return game dipped. But special teams coordinator Dave Toub doesn’t foresee any problems next season.

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Bears' Hester to see more action on 'O'

Feb/25/07 06:01 PM | Permalink

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bears general manager Jerry Angelo pondered the question for a few seconds.

"Do you have a player on offense who other teams fear and say they have to stop when they play you?"

Angelo produced the name of wide receiver Bernard Berrian. Although his numbers hit career highs of 51 catches, 775 yards and six touchdowns, they didn't put Berrian among the league's best receivers.

The real threat teams feared is the one who became the first player ever to return an opening kickoff for a Super Bowl touchdown and the first with six regular-season returns for TDs. That, of course, was rookie Devin Hester.

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Hester could be the Bears' weapon of choice

Feb/25/07 05:57 PM | Permalink

NDIANAPOLIS — Bears general manager Jerry Angelo pondered the question for a few seconds.

“Do you have a player on offense who other teams fear and say they have to stop when they play you?”

Angelo produced the name of wide receiver Bernard Berrian. Although his numbers hit career highs of 51 catches, 775 yards and six touchdowns, they didn’t put Berrian among the league’s best receivers.

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Jim Carrey Is a Devin Hester Fan

Feb/23/07 01:33 PM | Permalink

Jim Carrey's new movie, The Number 23, has opened today to terrible reviews. But if film critics don't like Carrey's work, at least one football player does: Bears return man Devin Hester joined Carrey at the film's premiere and posed with him in the picture you see here.

Hester had heard that Carrey admired him but didn't know for sure until speaking to the actor at the movie premiere Tuesday night. "They told me he was a big fan, but I didn't know [for certain] until I actually got a chance to meet him in person. He was going crazy," Hester said. "He was talking about how he had told the press before the Super Bowl that No. 23 Devin Hester was going to do something special in the Super Bowl."

Get it? Hester wears 23 on his jersey, and Carrey's movie is called The Number 23. Carrey was right about Hester doing something special in the Super Bowl, but Carrey's performance in the movie is more likely to draw comparisons to Rex Grossman.

(aolsportsblog.com)

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Hester a star? All righty then

Feb/15/07 09:33 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester has strolled 108 yards. Now he has walked the red carpet. The Bears kick returner was a guest of actor Jim Carrey at the world premiere of the thriller "The Number 23" at the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday night. "It made me feel like a celebrity," Hester, who was joined by teammate Chris Harris, told chicagobears.com. "It's something you usually just see on television." Hester had heard that Carrey admired him but didn't know for sure until speaking to the actor at the movie premiere Tuesday night. "They told me he was a big fan, but I didn't know [for certain] until I actually got a chance to meet him in person. He was going crazy," Hester said. "He was talking about how he had told the press before the Super Bowl that No. 23 Devin Hester was going to do something special in the Super Bowl."

(metromix.chicagotribune.com)

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Hester ends slump quickly

Feb/05/07 09:07 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester proved that his playoff slump as a return man was temporary.

Hester, a rookie for the Bears, had six returns for touchdowns in the regular season but was held in check by Seattle and New Orleans in the first two rounds of the NFC playoffs.

The slump ended on the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI. Hester returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead for the Bears.

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Colts avoid Hester after 92-yard TD

Feb/05/07 09:06 AM | Permalink

MIAMI -- Devin Hester did his part Sunday. His 92-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff not only put the Bears ahead, but it also gave them great field position for much of the game because the Indianapolis Colts tried kicking away from him.

The former Miami star looked right at home, using an incredible juke to start the return before turning on his speed to race to the end zone.

''We knew we were capable of returning one,'' Hester said. ''It was a right return, and it was set up the way [special-teams] coach Dave Toub planned it.

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Hester's fast start wasted - Former 'Cane takes opening kickoff for TD

Feb/05/07 09:05 AM | Permalink

MIAMI GARDENS ?Chicago's Devin Hester did what he had done several times this season. His 92-yard kickoff return to open the game gave the Bears a 7-0 lead and momentum, but they couldn't maintain it.

"We wanted to set an example of special teams from the start," said Hester, a former Hurricane. "I wasn't surprised that they kicked to me the first time. I also wasn't surprised that they didn't kick to me again."

Hester's touchdown was his seventh kick return for a touchdown this season, an NFL record. He returned three punts, two kickoffs and a missed field goal in the regular season.

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Hester primed to explode

Feb/04/07 11:11 AM | Permalink

MIAMI -- Indianapolis Colts coverage teams may need either Jack Bauer or a fallout shelter on Sunday.

"Devin Hester is a weapon. He is a nuclear weapon," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "So you are never quite comfortable when your enemy has a nuclear weapon."

Hester's return abilities rate the biggest advantage the Bears possess heading into today's Super Bowl. To keep the league's second-leading punt returner (12.8 yards per return) and fifth-leading kick returner (26.4 ypr) from exploding, the Colts will need to cover like they haven't done all year.

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Return man Hester Bears' gamebreaker

Feb/03/07 01:26 PM | Permalink

MIAMI - Some guys look fast when they walk. Devin Hester looks fast when he walks outside his Miami hotel.

Some guys look fast when they stand. Hester looks fast when he stands at Dolphins Stadium.

Nobody looks fast when they sit. Yet Hester looks fast as he sits at a table, the legs on his 5-foot-11, 196-pound frame built for speed.

As a senior at the University of Miami, Hester ran the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds.

Think about it. In the time it takes some guys to get out of a chair, Hester is 40 yards away.

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Bears' Hester Emerges From the Tall Grass

Feb/02/07 08:20 AM | Permalink

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 29 — The players who grow up by the sugar-cane farms like to say that they get their speed from racing jackrabbits along country roads.

The players who grow up on the coast like to say that they get their speed from running through sand pits on the hottest summer days.

And the players who grow up in Riviera Beach, Fla., like to say that they get their speed from a football field with no grounds crew.

“The grass isn’t mowed here in the winter, so it gets really high and thick,” 15-year-old Tavis Hester said. “It kills your legs, but it also builds them. My grandfather played on this field. My uncle played here. And, you know, my brother played here.”

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Hester's spectacular, but is he the best?

Feb/01/07 08:51 AM | Permalink

Miami - Former Broncos superstar return man Rick Upchurch has watched Chicago Bears rookie Devin Hester's spectacular season.

This season, Hester has an NFL record six returns for touchdowns - with one game remaining. Five of the six were at least 83 yards. Hester has been compared to the great return men of all-time. While Upchurch said Hester has been amazing, he is not ready to crown him the best.

"Gale Sayers was a tremendous returner of his era," Upchurch said. "Travis Williams was a tremendous return man of his era. Billy 'White Shoes' Johnson was a tremendous return man of his era. Brian Mitchell did some tremendous things.

"Devin Hester clearly is a great returner and will be one of the greats of his era, but there have been so many great returners that I can't say he'll be the best of all time."

Upchurch said Hester has a combination of speed and field vision that make him special. He also said the Bears' special-teams unit is excellent.

"It takes all 11 guys on the field to make it happen," Upchurch said. "With the Broncos, I used to map out a plan with my teammates during the week and follow the plan. It looks like the Bears and Hester have a similar connection going."

(denverpost.com)

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Colts Face Tough Task Corralling Bears' Hester

Feb/01/07 08:51 AM | Permalink

(AP) FT. LAUDERDALE The mere thought of trying to corral Devin Hester kept Indianapolis' special teams coach wide awake last week.

Russ Purnell isn't getting much rest in South Florida, either.

"I slept about four hours for four nights," Purnell said. "He's extremely talented and his blockers are outstanding. That's what really gets lost in this is how good his blockers are."

Regardless of who's out in front, Hester has been the one finishing off the runs, often ending up in the end zone.

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Bears are on to something with Hester

Feb/01/07 08:49 AM | Permalink

MIAMI — You think you've got this Super Bowl figured out. You go down the checklist one final time.

Peyton Manning? Advantage, Colts. Big-game experience? Colts. Receivers? Colts again.

Defense? Bears. Takeaways? Bears. Running game? Bears. In the end, it's not that complicated. If the Colts protect the football, they'll win Super Bowl XLI. Defensively, the Bears are good, but not good enough. Offensively, they can't win unless Rex Grossman plays better than he did in the NFC Championship Game.

Unless, that is, the Bears have a secret weapon. You're on the clock, Devin Hester. Your 15 minutes may be about to begin.

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Big returns on Bears' investment

Jan/31/07 08:04 PM | Permalink

MIAMI — Rookie sensation Devin Hester detailed the skills that led to his NFL-record six regular-season returns for touchdowns and cast him as a breakaway threat for the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

The Pro Bowler knows where each return is designed, and he does everything to stick to the plan. But there also are times when something — he's never sure what — dictates a split-second decision to go against the plan, anything to make the first tackler hurtling toward him miss.

Hester sometimes gives ground before starting upfield, but not always. He sees defenders and openings, but he also senses them.

He is quick to credit his blockers while also attributing much of his unprecedented success to God-given talent. A tattoo on his back offers a Biblical quotation: "No weapon that is formed against me shall be able to prosper."

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Colts call Bears' Hester 'a nuclear weapon'

Jan/31/07 08:01 PM | Permalink

MIAMI -- It almost could turn out too perfectly for Devin Hester, who grew up as the fastest kid in the neighborhood north of here in Riviera Beach.

The Chicago Bears kick and punt return specialist has the ability to change his homecoming and Sunday's Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium with a play or two.

He set an NFL record with six kick returns for touchdowns this season, and the Indianapolis Colts arrived in town talking about him being an X-Factor, and even nuclear.

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Devin Hester "It's Very Special"

Jan/31/07 08:01 PM | Permalink

(on thoughts on the Bears ’85 team) “They made it in ’85 and it’s been a while since they’ve been back. This is my first year as a rookie and there are some great players that we’re playing with now. I’m going to go out this year and try to prove to ourselves that we’re capable of being as good as they were and hopefully be able to win the Super Bowl.”

(on what you remember about the Bears ’85 team) “They were a more dominant team. They were more vicious ultimately around that time, and they dominated every team they played. And where they took over the ballgame, and that’s what we’re trying to bring back to the Chicago Bears now, just a more physical team that’s willing to go out each and every play and come out with the victories.”

(on liking the underdog role during the season) “Right, most definitely, because it not only gets you fired up, but it puts a chip on your shoulder, and that chip just being on your side sitting on your shoulder lets you know that we have something to prove. That’s the way we’ve been playing all year. Every game this year we’ve been playing, we’ve had the opposite team winning, and for us to come out like we did this year and produce the way we did is a great honor. Like I said, we’re the underdog in this game and that’s the way we like it, and that’s the way we’re going to go out and play.”

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Hester's nurturing roots paid off with winning returns

Jan/30/07 10:44 AM | Permalink

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. – To get to the place where Devin Hester first dodged tackles as a kid, you must travel to the area Hurricane Wilma devastated in 2005, when it spiked a tree into his mother's house, when it shut down football for weeks. You hang a left onto Avenue H West, at The Blue Heron Church of God, and there sits Suncoast Community High School.

There is a marquee out in front, and on it reads: “We're the No. 7 best school in the U.S.A.” It is the school where Anthony Carter, one of the all-time great receivers, played football. It is the school where the younger Hester, now the Chicago Bears' record-setting rookie return man, was Reggie Bush without portfolio.

So, you would think, with the Bears playing the Colts on Sunday in Super Bowl XLI about an hour down the road, that the sign would read: “Home of Devin Hester!” No, if Hester – or Carter – went to Suncoast, the only proof of it is on their graduation certificates. No photos. No retired jerseys. No trophies.

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Indy takes aim on Hester

Jan/30/07 08:22 AM | Permalink

Miami - Devin Hester - electrifying and explosive on the field, mellow and shy off it - was told upon his arrival at the Super Bowl on Sunday that the Indianapolis Colts plan to put some defensive starters on special teams as a preventive measure to stop Hester, the most dynamic NFL returner in years.

So, Devin, what are your thoughts on coach Tony Dungy's plan?

"I think it's a great idea," said Hester, a second-round pick.

Hester wasn't cocky in his answer. He wasn't trying to be humorous. He just said it, and was spot on. The only way to have a chance against Hester is to reinforce.

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For Hester, Rookie Season Has Been a Distance Memory

Jan/30/07 08:15 AM | Permalink

MIAMI, Jan. 29 -- Basketball star Tamara James had plenty of reason to needle Devin Hester, her football-playing boyfriend during their years at the University of Miami. The Washington Mystics, after all, picked her in the first round of the WNBA draft last April 5. Three weeks later, Hester, one of the most electrifying players in Miami history, dropped into the second round of the NFL draft before the Chicago Bears selected him.

James might have been entitled to proclaim herself the most highly regarded rookie in their relationship, but she couldn't bear to do it. She recalled too vividly one of several cellphone calls during the NFL draft she received from Hester, his anxiety over when he would be selected turning into tears and humiliation when the Tennessee Titans failed to pick him minutes after saying they would.

He was beginning to think he had made the mistake of his life, opting out of his senior season at Miami.

"That was his lowest moment," she said. "It was hard to see him that upset."

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Bears have arrived, so has former 'Cane

Jan/29/07 11:56 AM | Permalink

MIAMI The Chicago Bears arrived for Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, and return man Devin Hester came back to familiar territory as a proven threat and difference maker after leaving the University of Miami following his junior year as a player of unrealized potential.

As a rookie, Hester has done what he never did in three seasons with the Hurricanes. He established himself as the kind of game-breaker other teams fear enough to keep the ball out of his hands on kickoff and punt returns.

He was criticized for not having a position with the Hurricanes, and the coaching staff was equally criticized for not getting him more touches. Critics doubted if he was ready for the NFL.

"I felt that a lot of people were doubting me and saying that I wasn't going to be able to do this and that I wasn't going to be able to do that," said Hester, who attended Suncoast High. "My mom and I talked, and I said, `It's just another test, and I've got to go out and prove to the guys that are doubting me that I'm capable of being in the NFL and playing well.'"

With the help of the Bears' special teams, Hester has proven he doesn't need many touches to change a game. He returned three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns. His 108-yard missed field goal return against the New York Giants tied the longest play in NFL history. His total of six return touchdowns is a NFL record.

During the regular season, Hester averaged 26.4 yards on 20 kickoff returns and 12.8 yards on 47 punt returns. In the playoffs, he has been less effective with fewer chances and more emphasis on him. But he did have a 66-yard punt return against Seattle called back on a penalty.

(orlandoSentinel.com)

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Chicago rookie hoping for many happy returns

Jan/28/07 11:29 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Ask Devin Hester if he knows who Desmond Howard is and the Chicago Bears kick returner's eyes light up.

"Oh yeah," Hester said. "He's the guy who got a shot early in his Super Bowl days and came out on top as MVP of the Super Bowl."

Howard is the only returner to do that in a Super Bowl. That was a decade ago. The former Green Bay Packer's name resonates with Hester because of what the rookie accomplished this season. He set an NFL record with six return scores, three on punts, two on kickoffs and another on a missed field goal.

Hester is excited to return to Miami, where he played in college for the Hurricanes. He wants to put an exclamation point on a stellar year against the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI. Then Hester is headed to the Pro Bowl.

"Devin Hester could very easily be the difference in this ballgame," Bears coach Lovie Smith said.

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This rookie has no ego about what he can do

Jan/26/07 08:17 AM | Permalink

Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy fears him. Bears coach Lovie Smith says he could be the difference maker. So how does Bears rookie return man Devin Hester feel about his role in the Super Bowl?

''I don't feel like I have to go out and return a punt or a kickoff to prove anything,'' Hester said. ''I just want to have a solid game.''

Ever humble and shy, Hester spoke softly, looking downward. But when Desmond Howard's name was mentioned, the 24-year-old looked up and smiled. Does he remember what Howard did a decade ago in Super Bowl XXXI?

''Oh, yeah, he came out on top as the MVP of the Super Bowl,'' Hester said.

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Faith helps keep Hester ready for takeoff

Jan/26/07 08:15 AM | Permalink

On the greatest night of Devin Hester's professional life, it almost seemed like he could fly.

Stunning the nation and the St. Louis Rams with a Monday Night Football tour de force, Hester returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Those 94- and 96-yard runs put the rookie in the NFL record book with six return touchdowns on the season.

And since he seemed so ready to take off, it seemed only natural to ask Hester about the wings tattooed on his back. They are large, arcing over his shoulder blades and following the line of his lats, cradling between them this phrase:

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn."

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BRICKER: Hester could exploit Colts' big weakness

Jan/26/07 12:13 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Indianapolis will have a predicted edge in most of the matchup areas in Super Bowl XLI, but the one facet of this game that is heavily weighted in the Chicago Bears' favor is kick returning.

It's also the area that the Colts must spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with in the days before the game, and there is going to be a great deal of pressure on special teams coach Russ Purnell to make things better.

It's difficult enough that Purnell's kickoff coverage unit is facing Devin Hester, who has six kick returns for touchdowns this year. But his unit has done a poor job all season, right into the playoffs, where they gave up an 80-yard kickoff return to New England's Ellis Hobbs on Sunday.

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Devin Hester, the Bears' Super Bowl X-Factor

Jan/25/07 09:19 AM | Permalink

Everybody knows it: Super Bowls often come down to special teams play.

In Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots squeaked out a 20-17 win over the Rams thanks to a game-winning kick from Adam Vinatieri. Vinatieri repeated those heroics in Super Bowl XXXVIII, helping the Pats edge the Panthers 31-28.

But big special teams performances aren’t the realm of kickers alone. With that in mind, and with Super Bowl XLI less than two weeks away, it’s hard to understand why the Chicago Bears’ most potent weapon is being entirely ignored by the media.

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Devin Hester's Impact on the Super Bowl

Jan/24/07 06:42 PM | Permalink

This is where Devin Hester could pull Chicago’s fat out of the fire. He has become a household name in his own right, scoring six return touchdowns – one more TD than wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad. Hester was also second in the NFL with 12.8 yards per punt return, while Indianapolis’ Terrence Wilkins was a mediocre 9.2 yards. Hester also topped Wilkins in kick returns by 26.5 yards to 24.5. Those yards add up over the course of a game and take pressure off the unproven shoulders of Bears QB Rex Grossman.

Yet even with Hester, there is a hidden story that should make Bears supporters pause before laying down their cash. Hester committed 12 fumbles this year on returns. It’s not uncommon for returners to let the ball slip through their hands – Wilkins did so 13 times this year – only to pick it up right away and start heading downfield.

Hester, though, has suffered his share of embarrassing moments. For example, in Week 9, Eddie Jackson of the Miami Dolphins recovered a Hester fumble at the 10-yard line to set up a Marty Booker touchdown in a 31-13 Miami romp, spoiling any hopes for an undefeated season in Chicago.

(sportsedge.vip.com)

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Threat of Hester has Dungy worried

Jan/23/07 08:15 AM | Permalink

INDIANAPOLIS -- New England has what might be the NFL's premier return game, and it forced the Indianapolis Colts to labor in Sunday's AFC championship victory.

Ellis Hobbs returned six kickoffs for 220 yards, a record for a conference title game. He set up a touchdown with an 80-yard runback and triggered a field-goal drive with a 41-yard return.

When the Colts meet the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, the challenge will be Devin Hester.

"We covered pretty well for the most part, and then we let those two [Hobbs returns] get out," Colts coach Tony Dungy said.

"With a guy like Devin Hester, that can be catastrophic.

"That's a big part of what they do and how they're built. They get field position with their defense, they get field position with their return game and they've got an offense that really takes advantage of good field position. That's going to be critical."

Hester set an NFL record with six touchdown returns in the regular season: two on kickoffs, three on punts and one on a missed field goal.

(chicagosports.chicagotribune.com)

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HESTER EXCITED

Jan/22/07 09:09 AM | Permalink

Bears return specialist Devin Hester can't wait to get down to South Florida for the Super Bowl. After all, he's only one season removed from the University of Miami, where he starred for the Hurricanes.

Many of his friends still play for UM.

''They were text-messaging me all week,'' he said.

(herald.com)

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Catch-23: Hester thinks too much

Jan/21/07 10:12 AM | Permalink

It's a beautiful thing when Devin Hester runs the ball, fluid and instinctive. He looks for the colors of the jerseys in front of him, nothing too heady, and then runs away from the wrong color. Or he slips through holes in between colors, and then? He flies.

''Obviously,'' Bears special-teams coach Dave Toub said, ''after the catch, there's nobody like him.''

Yes, but Toub said two things there, didn't he? ''Nobody like him'' and ''after the catch.'' We've seen the problems with that second part lately, the catching part. Hester has become the scariest Bear, scaring us before the catch, scaring opponents after.

What has happened? For most of the season, Hester has been touchdowns and spotlight, NFL return records, endorsement options and even Deion
Sanders, the mentor, showing awe.

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Silent of late, Hester still dangerous

Jan/21/07 10:11 AM | Permalink

Of late, the Lethal Weapon hasn't looked so lethal.

Chicago rookie Devin Hester, who this season set an NFL record with six returns for touchdowns, has been rendered ineffective of late by other teams' designs and his own mistakes.

In his past three games, Hester has returned eight punts for a total of 24 yards. In the Bears' playoff game against Seattle, he muffed three kicks, finishing with three returns for a net of 5 yards.

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Hester has Saints' attention

Jan/20/07 11:42 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST -- Kick returner extraordinaire Devin Hester has got this all wrong. He's supposed to scare opponents, not his teammates. But in last week's 27-24 overtime escape from Seattle, the "Windy City Flyer" fumbled three punts that he returned for a measly 5 yards.

"I'll get in the routine of my arms pumping sometimes and I'll start to run before I get the ball," Hester said of his sloppy fielding. "That's why everything this week has been basically fundamentals and technique. We concentrated on the small things that got us here and that we need to keep doing to succeed.

"I know that once I get in that traffic, I have to have more ball security."

With his single-season record six return touchdowns, most agree the second-round draft pick from Miami is the game's most dangerous scoring threat -- despite a mini-slump.

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Bears' Hester and Saints' Bush very special on special teams

Jan/18/07 11:15 PM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - Devin Hester sped down the right sideline on his way to another game-breaking special teams touchdown. The Soldier Field crowd was frenzied, his teammates headed toward the end zone to join the celebration.

Oops. That bright yellow flag lying back where the rookie fielded Seattle's punt meant it was all for naught, and the Chicago Bears wound up needing overtime to beat the Seahawks.

"It was an awesome return on his behalf," Brendon Ayanbadejo, who is going to the Pro Bowl for his work on kick returns and coverage, said Thursday. "Too bad we had to take it back."

The play didn't count - in NFL statistics, it never existed - but the latest example of how Hester can break open a game won't fade from memory. Not for the Bears and certainly not for the New Orleans Saints, who come to Chicago for Sunday's NFC championship game.

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Devin Hester's kick returns can inspire cheers or cringing

Jan/16/07 09:10 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The snow-covered sign just outside the Chicago Bears' practice facility reads "Play Angry."

To send a message Monday to rookie returner Devin Hester, it should have been changed to "Play Smart."

Few players are capable of eliciting as many "oohs" as "ughs" as Hester, the former University of Miami and Suncoast High standout whose special teams prowess has helped Chicago reach Sunday's NFC Championship Game against visiting New Orleans.

Hester's six returns for touchdowns during the regular season set an NFL record and provided a boost to offensive and defensive units that performed erratically down the stretch. But his league-leading eight fumbles -- two of which were lost -- make every punt and kick Hester tries to field exciting for the wrong reason.

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Bears' fortunes may rest with Hester

Jan/15/07 02:52 PM | Permalink

Had a nice chat Friday with Ken Mrock, the head groundskeeper for the Bears. He was holding a shovel full of stuff -- sand, seed, growth hormone, whatever -- and he was flinging it over the still-green grass of the main practice field at Halas Hall with great zest.

(Just kidding about the growth hormone, OK?)

At any rate, Mrock told me that global warming might or might not be a factor in this unseasonably warm weather (trust me, it is), but that the grass at Soldier Field is just as green and summerlike as this practice stuff.

''It's all heated underneath,'' he said.

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Bears' Hester has made kick returns must-see TV

Jan/15/07 02:52 PM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- If Lovie Smith is really this good a soothsayer, perhaps everyone needs to start paying better attention.

Chicago's third-year coach held firm in the face of countless media and fan harrumphs last April after the Bears spent a precious second-round pick (57th overall) on kick returner Devin Hester. That's the equivalent of burning an NBA lottery pick on a 5-foot free-throw specialist, no?

One regular season later, Smith and Hester have played the naysayers for suckers. The Bears have turned the relative afterthought of special teams, a place often used by players to attract attention and butt their way onto the offensive or defensive units, into a secret weapon of season-altering proportions.

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All's been quiet on Hester front

Jan/10/07 08:00 PM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST -- Devin Hester came away with all the major honors at season's end based on an NFL record six touchdown returns.

But what's he done for them lately?

With the Bears heading into the playoffs to face Seattle on Sunday, Hester is mired in a slump in several ways. Hester has averaged only 17.7 yards per 10 kickoff return since the shocking two-touchdown game against the St. Louis Rams which vaulted him into national prominence.

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Devin Hester Update

Jan/09/07 06:44 PM | Permalink

Rookie returner Devin Hester typically fields an extra 50-100 punts and kicks after practice. This week is playoff week; make that 100 on Monday, young man. Coordinator Dave Toub is not overly concerned with Hester getting any kind of jitters as the rookie goes into his first NFL playoff game. "That's part of it and that goes along with being a rookie," Toub said.

(chicagosports.chicagotribune.com)

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Hester's fancy footwork pays off in end

Dec/25/06 10:13 AM | Permalink

DETROIT -- From a special-teams perspective, it wasn't his best game by a long shot.

But it was all water under the dam when All-Pro return specialist Devin Hester solidified the Bears' 26-21 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Ford Field.

On the game's final play, Lions quarterback Jon Kitna lofted a pass to 6-foot-5 receiver Mike Williams in the back of the end zone. Hester, who gives up six inches in height to Williams, managed to separate the Lions' 2005 first-round draft pick from the ball.

"Once there's a scramble, we're supposed to latch onto a player and that's what I did," said Hester, who comes in on defense at cornerback in passing situations. "I gave him a pull and actually kicked the ball. We went up at the same time. He got his hands on it, and I think at the same time I was able to kick at it and it fell out."

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Hester prepares for more action

Dec/23/06 12:58 PM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST -- The Bears will proceed with caution when it comes to rookie return phenom Devin Hester.

Last Sunday they tried to expand his role with an offensive play in addition to more defensive duties due to injuries. During the game, he fumbled two punts and a kickoff and lost one fumble.

"It was exciting," Hester said about playing offense. "I'm hoping that another opportunity will come and like I said, I told (special teams) coach (Dave) Toub I'm a team ball player. Wherever he needs me to go that's where I'm going to go."

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Devin Hester Update

Dec/19/06 02:01 PM | Permalink

The Bears were tight-lipped about Devin Hester's potential contributions on offense prior to Week 15, but the rookie sensation did see action on offense vs. the Bucs. He was thrown to once but did not come up with the catch. Chicago is hesitant to put too much on his plate, and he just recently added kick returns and is working hard at cornerback. Still, we hear it wouldn't take much to design a few basic packages that feature Hester on the offensive side of the ball. The Bears will likely revisit his long-term future more carefully this offseason, after he has put in a full season of work in the defensive backfield.

(profootballweekly.com)

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Offensive Hester a downer

Dec/19/06 01:13 AM | Permalink

CHICAGO -- Everyone wanted to see Devin Hester get more chances to carry the football.

On Sunday in the Bears' 34-31 overtime win over Tampa Bay, Hester might have had a few chances too many. The Bears' explosive rookie made a few exciting returns, but lost one critical fumble on a third-quarter kickoff return, fumbled but recovered on a fourth-quarter kickoff and fumbled a punt return out of bounds.

Hester also got his first chance to play offense -- coming in during the first quarter for one play at wide receiver. The throw went his way on a slant pass from Rex Grossman, but he was well covered and the ball fell to the turf.

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Coverage Units Able To Contain Hester

Dec/18/06 12:19 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO - All week long, the Bucs relished the challenge of stopping Mr. Unstoppable, Chicago rookie Devin Hester.

Mission accomplished.

The former Miami Hurricanes standout already had set an NFL record with six returns for touchdowns, but a mistake-prone Hester was contained throughout Chicago's 34-31 OT victory.

"We think he's pretty good, but we think we're pretty good, too," Bucs special teams coach Rich Bisaccia said. "He deserves the respect, and he's an exciting player. I'm extremely proud of our entire team and we did our part."

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Hester is on everyone's minds today

Dec/17/06 01:22 PM | Permalink

It's not often that the opponent's kick returner is the buzz in the locker room leading up to the game.

But this week Chicago return man Devin Hester has gotten the sort of attention in Tampa Bay's locker room usually reserved for quarterbacks or running backs.

That's what an NFL-record six returns for touchdowns will do for a rookie from the University of Miami.

Tampa Bay (3-10) faces Chicago (11-2) today and Hester will be under the spotlight. Hester returned two kickoffs for touchdowns on "Monday Night Football" six days ago, eliciting a litany of responses from Tampa Bay and Chicago players.

"This guy's fast as hell," Bucs head coach Jon Gruden said.

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Hester connects with history - Gale Sayers says he's done well . . . so far

Dec/17/06 01:19 PM | Permalink

Gale Sayers gushed over Devin Hester for five minutes, marveling at how the Bears rookie set an NFL record in only 13 pro games. But Sayers tempered his praise when asked if Hester could be the greatest return man in team history.

Sayers still holds the team record with six career touchdowns on kickoff returns, although Hester -- in only one season -- is four away from tying that mark.

''The greatest was Muhammad Ali, if you want to define greatest,'' Sayers said. ''As for Hester, he's done great. But next year will tell how good he can be.

''He's caught people by surprise. But it's going to be more difficult that second year. Next year will tell how good he will be. And if he's doing it three years from now, then he can compare to Gale Sayers.''

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Now, Bucs are targeting Hester

Dec/16/06 09:38 AM | Permalink

TAMPA -- The late second round of the NFL draft last spring showed how philosophy and decisions based on need can sometimes work against teams.

Instead of trying to move up a few spots for a shot at Devin Hester, the Tampa Bay Bucs stayed put and selected offensive tackle Jeremy Trueblood with the 59th overall pick.

The Chicago Bears, who had no first-round pick and no glaring needs, chose Hester, a cornerback / return specialist from the University of Miami, two picks before Trueblood

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Hester in a class of his own

Dec/15/06 07:14 AM | Permalink

One thing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers do well is cover kickoffs. They are second in the league to Dallas. One reason the Bucs do well is they are the lowest-scoring team in the league, so they don't have to kick off very often.

That is one way to slow down Devin Hester. But even in a copycat league, not many coaches are likely to advise their teams: "Don't score."

There will be other strategies. Special teams coaches everywhere are staying up nights devising ways to keep Hester from putting them out of work. That means the Bears have to stay innovative too.

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NFL by the Numbers - Devin Hester

Dec/14/06 01:00 PM | Permalink

2 ... Bears rookie Devin Hester has six combined kick returns for touchdowns in 13 games, not only establishing an NFL single-season record for combined kick returns for touchdowns but also putting him almost halfway to the NFL record of 13 career kick returns for TDs set over 14 years by Brian Mitchell. Hester, who had only returned two kickoffs in his life, is the sixth player in NFL history to return two for touchdowns in the same game.

Click Here for Full Picture.

(cnnsi.com)

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Hester on offense is a no-brainer

Dec/14/06 09:48 AM | Permalink

Need I remind Lovie Smith that LaDainian Tomlinson, greatest runner since Sweetness, might reduce his suddenly vulnerable defense to a collage of spilled ketchup, used dental floss and shredded peat moss? Need I suggest the Chargers, Ravens and Bengals would beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI? That his team might not survive possible back-to-back lakefront visits by Dallas and New Orleans in January?

Should I alert His Loveness that Dan Marino, Hall of Fame quarterback, still believes Rex Grossman must be on a short leash? Tell him the Bears did nothing more the other evening than pull away from a lowly opponent, one of nine losing teams they've played in a season in which their 16 foes currently have a collective 86-122 record? Should I nudge him about the injured list growing longer as the weather grows colder? Basically, doesn't he need all the help he possibly can muster as the playoffs approach? Shouldn't he be tapping every imaginable resource?

Yes, I think I need to have a talk with the man. Because Lovie is not thinking straight. If he were of the right mind, he wouldn't have spent Wednesday dropping this shocking bit of logic about America's newest sports conversation piece:

Devin Hester will NOT be used as an offensive weapon.

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Bears’ Hester already getting jobs lined up

Dec/14/06 09:47 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST — If some company along the lines of Target or Wal-Mart were smart, they’d secure Devin Hester right now to be their post-holiday spokesman.

Imagine having Hester saying not only can you returns kicks fast, you can also return your gifts just as quickly at such and such a store.

By that point, that particular company would simply be standing in line itself. Hester, after setting an NFL record for scoring returns with six, already is being targeted for promotions.

“A telephone deal. Nike deals are starting to come around. Commercial shoots here and there,” he said Wednesday at Halas Hall.

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Hester Named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Dec/13/06 01:09 PM | Permalink

Hester, the Special Teams Player of the Week, had a record-breaking performance in the Bears 42-27 win over the St. Louis Rams. The rookie returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and set the NFL single-season record with six touchdown returns. Hester scored his first touchdown of the game on a 94- yard return in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter, he took a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach.

This year, Hester has an NFL-record five combined kick-return touchdowns (three on punts, two on kickoffs) and tied the mark for the longest play in NFL history with a 108-yard touchdown return on a missed field goal. He leads the NFL with a 14.4-yard average.

In his rookie season, this is Hester's second consecutive Player of the Week Award and the third of his career. He is the first special teams player to earn the award in back-to-back weeks since 2004.

(seattlepi.com)

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Hester wows all-time greats

Dec/13/06 09:52 AM | Permalink

By the time Billy ''White Shoes'' Johnson had returned to his suburban Atlanta home from his Bible study group Monday, the Bears-Rams game was into the second quarter.

He had just taken a seat in his living room when he saw rookie return sensation Devin Hester approach the wedge along the Bears' sideline.

''I was just getting comfortable when he hit that thing outside,'' said Johnson, an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Atlanta Falcons. ''I said, 'Oh, gosh!' because he outran the angle, and it was over.

''It is great to be a feared man. I am sure he will tell you that.''

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Neon Deion reveling in Hester's success

Dec/13/06 12:58 AM | Permalink

CHICAGO -- Devin Hester got close to the end zone and started to do a high-stepping strut the final few yards. It was a tribute - or as he called it a "shout out" - to his mentor, Deion Sanders.

Even the original "Prime Time" was shaking his head at the latest from Hester, who has an NFL-record six returns for touchdowns this season.

"It's sort of like I really can't believe, can't fathom," Sanders said Tuesday in a conference call.

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Hester: Two for the book - Rookie returner burns Rams twice to break NFL record break

Dec/13/06 12:56 AM | Permalink

ST. LOUIS -- Just imagine how many touchdowns Devin Hester might have if he had been returning kickoffs all season.

The electric return man not only cemented his place in the Pro Bowl on Monday night, he carved out a space for his name in the NFL record books. Just don't be too quick to ink his new mark in, you might need an eraser because there are three games and who knows how many more returns left.

Hester torched the St. Louis Rams for two touchdowns, becoming the sixth player in league history with more than one in a single game. His 94-yard return in the first quarter answered the Rams' first touchdown, which Torry Holt scored on Hester. His second came with the hands team on the field and the Bears expecting an onside kick from Jeff Wilkins after St. Louis had pulled within 35-20 with more than seven minutes to play.

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'Devin Can't Wait' a reel football classic

Dec/12/06 09:07 AM | Permalink

ST. LOUIS -- If a game could be reduced to watching Devin Hester nodding and talking to himself, bobbing his head while awaiting a kick that he can deliver to the house any time whatsoever, you'd have no worries. We are witnessing maybe the greatest returner ever, the most pulsating No. 23 in Chicago since You Know Who, and I am tempted to place him in a cocoon and forget about the rest of the Bears, including Rex Grossman.

''It looks like the gates of heaven just opening up for me,'' said Heaven Devin.

Call him unfriggin'believable. Call him the freak of freaks. Call him Gale Sayers, Deion Sanders, a miracle in stick-on eye black. Give him a nickname, too, like Billy (White Shoes) Johnson. All you need to know about Hester, as he returned two more kicks for touchdowns Monday night and blew away the NFL single-season record and every St. Louis ghost in his path, is that the normally humdrum Lovie Smith was boogeying down the sideline after his 96-yard sprint in the fourth quarter.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE HIGHLIGHTS

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Rams marvel at Hester's ability as kick returner

Dec/12/06 09:06 AM | Permalink

Early in the second quarter Monday night, the Rams took a 6-0 lead over Chicago. Thirteen seconds later, the Bears were in front by a point.

Then midway through the final period, the Rams closed to a two-touchdown deficit, 35-20. Thirteen seconds later, the Bears had regained a 22-point cushion.

Instant production came in the form of record-setting rookie Devin Hester, a second-round draft pick out of Miami. His 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown erased the Rams' early lead; his 96-yard jaunt to the end zone snuffed the home team's late rally.

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Hester role expected to expand

Dec/09/06 10:33 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST -- The idea of rookie return man Devin Hester returning the football in any way shape or form excites Bears coach Lovie Smith.

The idea of Hester playing cornerback, his position on the roster?

"I trust him a lot better as a punt returner," Smith admitted Friday, "but he's making a lot of progress. He's made a lot of progress about the last month.

"It's hard to see that progress when you don't get a chance to play. He's playing in (back) of three good football players."

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NFL By The Numbers - Devin Hester

Dec/07/06 07:16 PM | Permalink

4 ... Devin Hester's 45-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Bears' win over the Vikings made him the first rookie in 39 years with four scoring returns in the kicking game in the same season. The last rookie to do so was Travis Williams of the Packers, who returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in 1967. Click Here To See Full Picture

(cnnsi.com)

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Hester Named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Dec/06/06 02:27 PM | Permalink

Hester opened up the scoring in his club's 23-13 win over Minnesota with a 45-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter. It was Hester's fourth return touchdown this season as the Bears clinched the NFC North with the win.

It is Hester's second career weekly award as the Miami-Florida product earned special teams honors in Week 10 as well.

(seattlepi.nwsource.com)

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NFL Rookie Watch Number 5, Devin Hester, PR, Bears

Dec/06/06 11:38 AM | Permalink

Hester leads the NFL with a 14.3-yard punt-return average and three punt returns for touchdowns. Last Sunday, his 45-yard punt return touchdown helped the Bears top the Vikings 23-13. With the offense sputtering, Hester is a life-saver in the Windy City. Click Here for full picture.
hester1

(cnnsi.com)

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Hester's day is extra special

Dec/04/06 12:34 PM | Permalink

On a day when the weather and the Bears offense were equally brutal, Devin Hester was nothing short of sensational.

Returning both punts and kickoffs with equal aplomb, Hester provided ample amounts of excitement Sunday in sparking the Bears to a 23-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings at frigid Soldier Field.

Time and again, Hester brought the fans -- bundled up in the 20-degree weather at kickoff -- to their feet.

The most notable occasion came in the second quarter, when the rookie returned a punt 45 yards for a touchdown that jump-started the Bears toward victory and their second straight NFC North title.

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Hester ties record to help Bears beat Vikings

Dec/04/06 12:33 AM | Permalink

CHICAGO, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Devin Hester tied an NFL record with his fourth touchdown return of the season to help the Chicago Bears beat the Minnesota Vikings 23-13 and clinch the NFC North Division title on Sunday.

Chicago (10-2) leads Minnesota by five games in the division with four games remaining and has a two-game lead atop the overall NFC standings.

Hester returned a punt 45 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to open the scoring, breaking four tackles to scamper down the left side of the field and give Chicago a 7-0 lead.

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Hester more than returner - Plays cornerback, when not scoring; offense in future?

Dec/04/06 12:32 AM | Permalink

Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner would love to get his hands on rookie kick returner Devin Hester.

Vikings defenders could not get their hands on Hester when he stutter-stepped, juked and darted his way to a 45-yard punt return for the Bears' first touchdown in the second quarter of their 23-13 victory Sunday.

Hester has four kick returns for touchdowns this season, tying an NFL record. Asked if he has been lobbying to use Hester to help the Bears' struggling offense, Turner said with a knowing smile: "Not right now. We're just trying to get better and take care of our business. Who knows what's going to happen down the road? But he's obviously a great player."

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Devin Hester - Cornerback/Punt return specialist, No. 23

Nov/30/06 08:12 AM | Permalink

Media guide musings: Drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2006 draft out of Miami (Fla.). Returned a punt for a touchdown in NFL debut and game-winning punt return for touchdown against Arizona in Week 6. Tied NFL record for longest play with 108-yard field goal return Week 10 against the Giants. Majored in liberal arts at Miami, where he played offense (wide receiver, running back and fullback), defense (corner and nickel) and special teams (punt returns) during his career. Was 2005 Big East champion in the indoor long jump. Was All-American track athlete in high school.

Vitals: 5 feet 11 inches, 196 pounds

Favorite pro team growing up: "I used to like the Cowboys back in '95, but after that it was just certain players. I just liked players, I didn't have a favorite team."

College team growing up: "Florida when they had Fred Taylor."

So was it weird going to Miami if you were a Florida fan? "It was pretty crazy 'cause I got an offer from Florida and I turned 'em down instantly. I kinda [leaned toward] Miami toward the end of my senior year [in high school], so that's where my heart was into going."

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Hester providing many happy returns in Chicago

Nov/30/06 08:06 AM | Permalink

CHICAGO — Coming into the NFL Draft last spring, Devin Hester was considered a man without a position. So far, he hasn't needed one.
The Chicago Bears rookie, who played wide receiver and cornerback at the University of Miami, is doing what he was drafted to do — put electricity into the return game.

With five games remaining, Hester is one touchdown shy of tying the NFL record for special-teams scores by a rookie, and he is expected to receive more opportunities down the stretch.

His three TD returns — two on punts and the NFL record-tying 108-yard return of a missed New York Giants field goal Nov. 12 — put him behind only Jack Christiansen of Detroit (1951) and Travis Williams of Green Bay (1967) on the all-time rookie TD list for special teams. (Christiansen's were all punt returns and Williams' kickoffs.)

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Special feeling? Bears' Hester has it

Nov/25/06 10:54 AM | Permalink

Staying after practice on Friday to put in extra work, Bears punt returner Devin Hester spun around in circles before fielding footballs.

He wasn't perfecting a new move. Hester was just trying to prepare for Sunday's game in Foxborough, Mass., against the New England Patriots, who signed Ken Walter on Friday to replace injured punter Josh Miller.

"We've got a punter we're facing this week that hasn't played in about two years, so we don't have any film on him," Hester said. "So out here today, we're just trying to get punts all kinds of ways, just different types of punts, just get used to it, and just be ready for it when game time comes."

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Early investment returns - Hester has raced to head of the class among Bears rookies

Nov/20/06 07:02 AM | Permalink

When Bears rookie return specialist Devin Hester scored last Sunday on a 108-yard return of a missed field goal against the New York Giants -- tying teammate Nathan Vasher's NFL record -- the loudest cheers came from his rookie teammates Danieal Manning and Mark Anderson.

''We rookies made a pact in preseason to be the best rookie class the Bears ever had,'' Manning said.

That's a lofty goal, considering the Bears drafted Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers in 1965 and their '83 class included Richard Dent, Jim Covert and Willie Gault.

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Ready for takeoff - Bears' Hester seeks consistency

Nov/19/06 12:16 PM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST | Funny, but Devin Hester doesn't look like one of pro football's most feared weapons.

The Bears rookie, wearing sweats and with his hoodie pulled up after a chilly practice, is barely noticeable at 5-foot-11. And quiet? Like a deserted street.  But check his return stats and they scream DANGEROUS! from the rooftops.

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Bears may challenge Hester to dual (role) - Rookie specialist also would run back kickoffs, writes Don Pierson

Nov/18/06 02:05 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester is having a ball. Now if he just had the ball more often. The Bears are thinking about letting him return kickoffs for Sunday's encore at the Meadowlands.

"We'll try to get his hands on the ball as much as possible," coach Lovie Smith said. "That will basically be with the return game."

Except for two kickoff returns this season, Hester has been limited to punt returns. But by taking that short field-goal attempt against the Giants back 108 yards, he apparently passed a test. He's ready for extended duty. After all, a missed field goal looks like a kickoff.

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Fame game: Hall eyes piece of Hester

Nov/16/06 11:29 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester appreciates the honors. Well, sort of.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame called the Bears on Wednesday to ask for a Hester "artifact" from his record-tying 108-yard return of a missed New York Giants field goal.
The Hall received the orange jersey Nathan Vasher wore when he performed the feat last year, but Hester isn't sure he would like his uniform enshrined next to his teammate's.

"The jersey from Sunday?" asked Hester, whose feat and feet earned him the distinction of being NFC special teams player of the week. "I'd hate to give that one up. Could they just take any of my jerseys?"

LOG IN USING SCREENAME: procanes@gmail.com PASSWORD: procanes

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Bears' Hester amazing

Nov/16/06 08:16 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST -- Since making his 108-yard touchdown return with a missed field goal, Bears rookie Devin Hester has been fielding more phone calls than practice punts.

Old coaches have called with congratulations. Deion Sanders -- his mentor -- and family members have called warning him to maintain focus amid all the accolades. And then there are the other calls.

"A lot of times old friends that I had crushes on in high school are starting to call me now," Hester said. "It's crazy."

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Hester leads NFC weekly honors

Nov/15/06 04:52 PM | Permalink

NEW YORK, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Chicago's Devin Hester, who tied an NFL record with a 108-yard return, was selected the NFC's special teams player of the week.

(upi.com)

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Hester's joy mixes with thoughts of slain pal Pata

Nov/14/06 05:28 PM | Permalink

In the hours immediately after Devin Hester's historic 108-yard field-goal return for a touchdown Sunday night against the Giants, his mind raced even faster than his legs.

But between thoughts of NFL immortality and the possibility of playing in a Super Bowl near his hometown of Miami, Hester paused to remember a friend.

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Magic man pulls a fast one - Rookie equals Vasher's record return

Nov/13/06 08:25 AM | Permalink

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- One hundred eight yards and a cloud of dust!

Yes, the favorite play in the Bears' playbook is back.

Don't go telling Devin Hester that a football field is supposed to be 100 yards long.

The rookie did the same thing Sunday night to the New York Giants that teammate Nathan Vasher did to the San Francisco 49ers last Nov. 13—yes, a year ago this very day—when he returned a missed field goal 108 yards for a touchdown.

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Hester just can’t hang on

Nov/09/06 08:24 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester is a threat to break a long run every time he catches a punt for the Bears.

But he has to catch it first.

In a game in which nothing went right for the Bears, it is unseemly to extract one play for special examination.

But Hester’s inability to corral a second-quarter punt gave the visiting Miami Dolphins the field position they needed to move in for their first touchdown en route to a 31-13 victory Sunday at Soldier Field.

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Err-muffs: Hester eyes improvement

Nov/06/06 09:58 AM | Permalink

Devin Hester appeared to have happy feet trying to return punts Sunday. And the rookie speedster was anything but happy about his botched attempts to secure the football against the Dolphins.

With the Dolphins trailing 3-0 in the second quarter, Donnie Jones punted 47 yards to the Bears' 6-yard line. Hester muffed the catch, and the ball was recovered by Miami's Eddie Jackson. Three plays later, Joey Harrington hooked up with Marty Booker for a 5-yard touchdown pass and the Dolphins never trailed thereafter.

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Devin Hester Update

Oct/31/06 08:50 AM | Permalink

The Devin Hester-for-offense push remains on hold with the passing offense averaging 7.4 yards every time it gets a pass away. The Bears are completing 60.8 percent of their passes. Bernard Berrian, Desmond Clark and Rashied Davis are averaging 15 yards or more per catch, and Muhsin Muhammad leads the Bears with 32 catches.

"There's always thoughts," Smith said of the prospect of getting Hester more touches. "Of course, if you ask Moose, he'd say we have enough weapons over there right now. So right now we're going to stay the way we are."

(chicagoSports.com)

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Hester rates as an elite returner

Oct/25/06 08:27 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST -- Bears rookie punt returner Devin Hester flashed a big grin at the thought of the performance he'd given in Monday night's 24-23 comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals.

His reaction had nothing to do with a certain 83-yard, fourth-quarter punt return for the game-winning touchdown. Instead, he was thinking about his effort on six or seven defensive plays that defensive backs coach Steve Wilks put him in for when the injury-depleted secondary started to tire.

"I checked my grade sheet this week, and I graded out at 100 percent, so that's pretty good," Hester said. "I usually grade out about 74 or 75, so I'm just trying to go day in and day out and just try to get better at each and everything I do individually."

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Many happy returns ahead? Hester speeding toward prominence

Oct/22/06 12:48 PM | Permalink

Recalling his performance in the Bears' come-from-behind 24-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night prompted Devin Hester to flash a big grin.

The Bear rookie's expression had nothing to do with a certain 83-yard punt return in the fourth quarter that went for the game-winning touchdown. Instead, he was thinking about his effort on six or seven defensive plays that defensive backs coach Steve Wilks put him in for when the injury-depleted secondary started to tire.

"I checked my grade sheet this week, and I graded out at 100 percent, so that's pretty good," Hester said. "I usually grade out about 74 or 75, so I'm just trying to go day in and day out and just try to get better at each and every thing I do individually."

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Bears’ Hester leads NFL in punt-return average

Oct/20/06 07:12 AM | Permalink

Bears rookie Devin Hester’s game-winning, 83-yard punt return for touchdown Monday night against the Arizona Cardinals vaulted him to the No. 1 spot in the NFL with a 13.6-yard punt-return average.

Hester’s 367 yards on punt returns are 200 more than the Chiefs’ Dante Hall, who ranks second.

Hester, a former Miami Hurricane, said his big return was designed to go to the right, but he made an adjustment that the Cardinals didn’t counter.

“When they saw my first step was going right, it seemed like the defense just took off (in that direction),” Hester said. “When I cut it back, I was watching them (on tape), they were still going right, they weren’t paying attention to me, so I knew that it was going to give me a great chance to get into the end zone.”

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Hester's punt return had Cardinals seeing red

Oct/18/06 01:25 PM | Permalink

It's the isolation play of punt returns. There was nothing really fancy about Devin Hester's 83-yard return Monday night that shocked the Arizona Cardinals and made the Bears a 24-23 winner in one of the wildest comebacks in recent history. The only thing special is Hester's dynamic ability in the open field, where the Cardinals barely laid a hand on him.

Special-teams coordinator Dave Toub told Hester before the kick, ''This is the one.'' The play is called ''six box red,'' and it's the same one Hester scored on in Week 1 at Green Bay. It calls for six players in the box near the ball at the line of scrimmage, a double team on each outside gunner and some shifty work by Hester. Red means the play is designed to go right, and Toub picked that direction after calling left returns earlier in the game.

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Hester stops dancing, breaks off winning return

Oct/17/06 08:54 AM | Permalink

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The name of the return is Six Box Red. That means six players are on the line of scrimmage with double on each gunner. Red means right.

The rest is up to Devin Hester, who broke an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown on Monday night that provided the game-winning points in an unlikely 24-23
Bears victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Hester broke an 84-yard touchdown on the same return in the season-opener against Green Bay.

''Everybody blocked for me,'' Hester said. ''It was the right time and I give all the credit to my teammates who were out on the field with me and set up the blocks for me that allowed me to get in the end zone.''

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Big-play Hester strikes again - Rookie answers call, takes punt back 83 yards for winning TD

Oct/17/06 08:51 AM | Permalink

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- No sweat.

Rookie speedster Devin Hester keyed a furious fourth-quarter Bears comeback with a daring 83-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 24-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.

Trailing 20-0 at the half and 23-10 after three quarters, the Bears tallied fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 40-yard fumble return by Charles Tillman with five minutes left and Hester's heroics with 2:58 remaining.

"Basically, everybody blocked," Hester said. "When I went out on the field, all of my teammates said, 'We need a big play.' It was the right time,and I give all the credit to my teammates. They set up the blocks for me and got me into the end zone."

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Devin Hester Update

Oct/15/06 11:11 AM | Permalink

The sky is falling: Thursday morning was the first time Bears rookie Devin Hester has seen snow in person, and he was a little freaked out.

“I need to thicken up my blood or something,” said Hester, who was bundled up like an Arctic explorer until coach Lovie Smith moved practice inside the Walter Payton Center.

Hester is from Riviera Beach, Fla., and played for the University of Miami Hurricanes.
(dailyherald.com)

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Devin Hester Update

Oct/13/06 07:56 AM | Permalink

We all know Devin Hester's talent level playing on special teams. How is he progressing during practice as a defensive back? I'm thinking that a couple of years in the future, he could hopefully be a good nickel back like Ricky Manning Jr. Your insight is greatly appreciated. --Joe Kaberlein, Germantown, Wis.

That's a reasonable timeframe. Hester actually plans on becoming much more than a good nickel back –- he has designs on developing into a lock-down corner in the mold of his mentor, Deion Sanders. But right now, expecting much out of Hester in the way of defensive contributions might be asking too much. It was telling that when asked about the Bears' plans if Ricky Manning Jr. receives the expected suspension that Smith responded by saying safety Todd Johnson would be inserted as the fifth defensive back and Danieal Manning would slide up to play the slot man. That's a compliment to Johnson but also an indication that Hester is not at the point yet where the coaches trust him in the secondary. Or else he would have been the ideal replacement as the corner to fill in for Manning Jr. That should come, with experience and recognition. It's not a physical issue with Hester -- he is the quickest Bear. But playing defensive back goes well beyond athleticism and those nuances are what Hester still needs time to understand.

(chicagotribune.com)

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Devin Hester Update

Oct/11/06 09:00 AM | Permalink

Bears special-teams ace Devin Hester has looked increasingly shaky since his 84-yard punt return for a TD in Week 1, capped off by three muffs in Week 4. We're told the rookie was working overtime in practice every day last week, although the team is much less concerned about his hands than they are his judgment concerning which punts to field.
(profootballweekly.com)

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Rookie Hester still has coaches' confidence

Oct/03/06 08:38 AM | Permalink

LAKE FOREST -- After a fast start, Bears punt returner Devin Hester has cooled down to the point where coach Lovie Smith acknowledged his struggles in Sunday's game on Monday at Halas Hall.

"Devin Hester had a few problems returning punts," Smith said after Hester muffed three punts that were all recovered by the Bears Sunday night against Seattle. "If you have a rookie, you'll go through a game like that. He'll come back. He's a good football player.

"He had one good return. The 26-yard return was big for us."

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Hester glowing like neon

Sep/25/06 05:32 PM | Permalink

It was the phone call every kid dreams of receiving. Your childhood idol, the guy upon whom you try to base your own career, does a little legwork to get your digits and dials you up.

That's what happened to Devin Hester when he was a sophomore at Miami. In a nationally televised game against Louisville, Hester returned a kickoff 100 yards, only to have the touchdown erased by penalty. He scored on a 78-yard punt return and set up the winning score in a 41-38 victory with a 34-yard kickoff return in which he covered twice as much ground zigzagging across the field.

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Pilot episode is prime-time - Possibilities endless as Hester uses incredible instincts to get big results

Sep/19/06 05:49 PM | Permalink

Of all the instinctive, unpredictable moves Devin Hester has become known for making, Tamara James knows her favorite. Hester made it June 6, 2005, in Miami, and the impact caused James to buckle at the knees like someone covering one of Hester's punt returns. Together they had gone to Game 7 of the Miami Heat-Detroit Pistons NBA playoff series at Miami Arena, a hot ticket but the place to be for the University of Miami's hottest couple.

Hester, the Bears' electric rookie punt returner, was entering his final season as a Hurricane football player, and James, a member of the WNBA's Washington Mystics, eventually would leave Coral Gables as the school's career scoring leader.

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Bears rookie Hester hoping for return on his investmen

Sep/17/06 10:43 AM | Permalink

CHICAGO - Of all the instinctive, unpredictable moves Devin Hester has become known for making, Tamara James knows her favorite. Hester made it June 6, 2005, in Miami, and the impact caused James to buckle at the knees like someone covering one of Hester's punt returns.

Together they had gone to Game 7 of the Miami Heat-Detroit Pistons NBA playoff series at Miami Arena, a hot ticket but the place to be for the University of Miami's hottest couple.

Hester, the Bears' electric rookie punt returner, was entering his final season as a Hurricane football player, and James, a member of the WNBA's Washington Mystics, eventually would leave Coral Gables as the school's career scoring leader.

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Mark Craig: What's a game-breaker worth? Bears got a steal with 57th pick

Sep/11/06 11:44 PM | Permalink

GREEN BAY, WIS. - Another defining moment in the evolution of the specialized player in the NFL arrived at Halas Hall on the first day of this year's draft.

In need of offensive help, the Chicago Bears already had traded out of the first round, selected safety Danieal Manning 42nd overall and were on the clock with the 57th pick.

Without hesitation, General Manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith decided the University of Miami's Devin Hester was worthy of a second-round pick, even though no one within the organization knew whether Hester could play offense or defense, or neither.

"Initially, I thought if only he would be our [punt] returner, that would be plenty," Smith said. "He's as good as anyone I saw returning the football."

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Hester gets the call from 'Prime Time'

Sep/11/06 08:57 AM | Permalink

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Devin Hester picked up his cell phone after the Bears' season-opening 26-0 win over the Green Bay Packers and the message from one Deion "Prime Time" Sanders read, "call me."

Hester, who is good friends with Sanders, gave a good "Prime Time" impression himself on Sunday afternoon by breaking an 84-yard fourth-quarter punt return for a touchdown on a day when Bears special teams dominated.

"I saw daylight," Hester said of the return. "I don't think there was a defender in front of me. My teammates, they just cleared everything out. It was a straight-forward run."

On his return, Hester displayed the type of speed he showed in running a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine prior to being chosen in the second round of the draft draft.

"Initially, I thought if he would only just be our returner that was plenty right away because he was as good as anyone I saw return the football," coach Lovie Smith said. "And from there, we had to make a decision on whether he would play defensive back or wide receiver.

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Devin Hester Update

Sep/10/06 09:25 AM | Permalink

Rookie Devin Hester still hasn't found a permanent position, but the second-round draft choice from the University of Miami will be Chicago's punt returner on Sunday against Green Bay. . . .

A jack-of-all-trades with UM, Hester has worked at cornerback during the preseason but isn't considered a serious contender for playing time in Chicago's secondary. Hester, though, is getting overtures from Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner and QB Rex Grossman about making the conversion to wide receiver after averaging 22.8 yards on six preseason returns.

"Grossman tells me, `You're in the wrong spot,"" Hester told the Chicago Tribune. . .
(mercurynews.com)

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Punt return job all Hester's

Sep/06/06 02:55 PM | Permalink

With other players sweating out final cuts, rookie Devin Hester is secure in the knowledge he has won the Bears' punt return job.

"He has caught the ball extremely well, made good decisions," coach Lovie Smith said. "Except for the first game, he has been outstanding back there. He's a weapon. He's getting closer and closer to breaking one."

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Hester valuable in all phases

Sep/03/06 06:57 PM | Permalink

CLEVELAND — Devin Hester provided food for thought, but does this every time he flashes his Olympic-type speed while breaking a long return.

The Bears' rookie second-round draft pick made a 54-yard punt return to set up the first-team offense's only touchdown of preseason. Afterward coach Lovie Smith admitted some within the organization wouldn't mind seeing the former Miami player's speed put to use on offense instead of — or in addition to — returns and cornerback.

"Ron Turner and the offensive guys are in my ear quite a bit, I'll say about that, along with others," Smith said of his offensive coordinator. "Right now, with him being a rookie coming in, we just wanted to do a few things and he's making progress at the cornerback position.

"But initially, the plan for him is to initially be our returner."

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Punt return job all Hester's

Sep/03/06 06:56 PM | Permalink

With other players sweating out final cuts, rookie Devin Hester is secure in the knowledge he has won the Bears' punt return job.

"He has caught the ball extremely well, made good decisions," coach Lovie Smith said. "Except for the first game, he has been outstanding back there. He's a weapon. He's getting closer and closer to breaking one."