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.jpg) Hester with the Bears in 2008 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 23, 17, 14 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver Return specialist | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | November 4, 1982 Riviera Beach, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Suncoast (Riviera Beach) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Miami (FL) (2003–2005) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 57 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
Devin Devorris Hester Sr.[3] (born November 4, 1982) is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL). The only primary return specialist to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is widely considered to be the greatest return specialist of all time. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he was the first player in the university's recent history to play in all three phases of American football: offense, defense and special teams. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. In addition to Chicago, Hester also played for the Atlanta Falcons, the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks over his 11-season NFL career. He is also the only player to return the opening kick of a Super Bowl for a touchdown. Hester was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team for both the 2000s and 2010s.
Originally drafted as a cornerback, Hester quickly made an impact as a kick and punt returner, and later became a wide receiver. He holds the NFL record for most all-time return touchdowns—punt and kickoff combined—and most all-time punt return touchdowns.[4][5][6] He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024 after being a finalist in 2022 and 2023.
Early life[edit]
Devin Hester was born to Juanita Brown and Lenorris Hester Sr. in Riviera Beach, Florida. His parents separated when he was a toddler. Before he became a teenager, his mother was severely injured in a car accident, while his father died of complications from AIDS two years later.[7][8] His step-father, Derrick Brown, and brother, Lenorris Jr., helped Hester escape his depression and rebuild his life by introducing him to football. He soon returned to his normal life and began to excel in sports.[9]
During his youth, Hester enjoyed following the Dallas Cowboys. He especially idolized Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin. He was also a fan of the Chicago Bulls during the Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson era.[10] Fred Taylor of the University of Florida was Hester's favorite athlete. In addition to football, he also enjoyed playing soccer and following baseball.[10]
High school career[edit]
Hester attended first Palm Beach Gardens High, then on to Suncoast High School, where he played football as a cornerback, wide receiver, return specialist, and running back. He earned recognition from SuperPrep.com as the top high school prospect in Florida and Parade, who named Hester onto their All-American team. Hester also participated in the 2002 CaliFlorida Bowl, where he returned a kick for an 80-yard touchdown.[11][12] His success prompted his teammates to nickname him "Sugar Foot".[13]
Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Hester was listed as the second best cornerback in the nation in 2002.[14]
Track and field[edit]
Hester was also a standout track athlete. While at Suncoast, he received All-America accolades, and he ranked second nationally in the long jump as a junior.[15] He also captured the 2004 Big EAST Indoor long jump title as a member of the University of Miami track and field team, with a leap of 7.37 meters. He also competed in the 60 meters and 100 meters, posting personal bests of 6.77 seconds and 10.62, 10.42W seconds, respectively.[16]
Personal bests[edit]
| Event | Time (seconds) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters | 6.77 | Syracuse, New York | February 21, 2004 |
| 100 meters | 10.42[16] | Piscataway, New Jersey | May 1, 2004 |
| 200 meters | 22.23 | New York, New York | March 9, 2002 |
| Event | Mark (meters) | Venue | Date |
| Long Jump | 7.37 | Syracuse, New York | February 21, 2004 |
College career[edit]
After completing high school, Hester enrolled at the University of Miami, where he played for the Miami Hurricanes football team from 2003 to 2005. As a sophomore in 2004, he earned national recognition as a kick returner after being named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and The Sporting News. His ability to thrust laterally and break away from pursuers made him one of the nation's most dangerous return specialists.[11] During his freshman year, Hester returned an opening kick for a 98-yard touchdown against the Florida Gators. In a game against Duke in 2005, Hester broke six tackles while returning an 81-yard punt.[17] Ultimately, Hester completed his college career with a total of six touchdowns from kick returns (4 punts, 2 kickoffs), one blocked field goal return, one rushing touchdown, one receiving touchdown and recorded five interceptions as a defensive back.
Hester became the first football player in the Miami Hurricanes' recent history to play as member of the special, offensive, and defensive teams.[11][18] He was known as "Hurricane Hester" by his fans and teammates.[13] In his junior season, Hester returned 19 punts for 326 yards and three touchdowns, along with 15 kickoffs for 389 yards and a score, while also intercepting four passes. During his productive tenure at the University of Miami, Hester befriended Deion Sanders through Ed Reed, an alumnus of the University of Miami, and friend of Sanders. Sanders counseled, advised, and encouraged Hester. Hester was also known as "Anytime" in college, which is a tribute to Sanders' nickname, "Prime Time". He also adopted Sanders' signature touchdown dance, and showboating maneuvers, which he carried to his future NFL career.[9]
Hester finished his three seasons with 41 punt returns for 638 yards, 40 kick returns for 1,019 yards, 24 carries for 160 yards, 10 receptions for 196 yards, 11 tackles, 1 sack, and five interceptions for 57 return yards.
Professional career[edit]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 10+5⁄8 in (1.79 m) |
190 lb (86 kg) |
31+1⁄8 in (0.79 m) |
9 in (0.23 m) |
4.43 s | 1.58 s | 2.61 s | 4.20* s | 6.78* s | 38 in (0.97 m) |
10 ft 4 in (3.15 m) |
16 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine/*Pro Day[19][20] | ||||||||||||
Chicago Bears[edit]
2006 season[edit]
Hester began his professional career in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears, who selected him in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft with the 57th overall pick.[21] The team originally drafted Hester as a cornerback, but they intended to play him as a return specialist, following the retirement of Jerry Azumah and departure of Bobby Wade.[22] The team's decision to draft Hester was initially criticized by fans and sports analysts, who believed the Bears should have spent their early picks on offensive prospects.[23]
In his first 13 weeks as a professional football player, Hester recorded six return touchdowns, including a punt return in his NFL debut, and a then-record tying 108-yard touchdown from a missed field goal against the New York Giants.[24] He also returned a punt for a clutch 83-yard game-winning touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals to give the Bears the lead in a comeback win, and two kickoff returns in one game against the St. Louis Rams.[25][26] Following his record-breaking game during Week 14, opposing teams exercised additional caution when allowing Hester to return kicks.[27] During the postseason, Hester ran back a punt at a critical moment against the Seattle Seahawks, but it was called back on a blocking penalty. Regardless, the Bears won both NFC playoffs rounds, and advanced to Super Bowl XLI to play the Indianapolis Colts. He started the game for the Bears by returning the game's opening kick for a touchdown.[28] The feat was the first touchdown return of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history.[28] It also marked the quickest touchdown scored in Super Bowl history as well as the quickest lead ever taken by any team,[28] though the latter record has since been surpassed by the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.[29] Following the kick, the Colts did not kick the ball directly to Hester, significantly limiting the Bears' return efforts as they would lose 17–29.[30]
Hester's feats in 2006 earned him three NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Awards[31] and a trip to the 2007 Pro Bowl.[32] After the 2006 season ended, he was named the NFC Player of the Month for December and was a finalist for 2006 Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year.[33] He was also voted onto the Associated Press's 2006 All-Pro team with 48 and a half votes, finishing fourth behind LaDainian Tomlinson, Champ Bailey, and Jason Taylor who all received 50 votes.[34] He finished the 2006 season by accumulating three touchdowns for 600 yards on 47 punt returns, and two touchdowns for 528 yards on 20 kick returns, thus making him one of the league's most productive kick and punt returners.[31][35] Even without taking an offensive snap prior to Week 14, Hester was the Bears' second leading scorer, behind kicker Robbie Gould. On a negative note, Hester struggled to control the football at times, having games with multiple fumbles on at least two separate occasions.[27][36][37]
Many fans speculated that Hester's speed and prior experience as a wide receiver would earn him a spot on the Bears' offense, similar to teammate Rashied Davis. While Lovie Smith dismissed the speculation, he played Hester as a wide receiver for one play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 17, 2006; he ran a curl route and was targeted by quarterback Rex Grossman, but the pass was too low and fell incomplete.[38][39][40] Hester attributes his talent to his mentor, Deion Sanders, who Hester claims helped him perfect his return game.[10][31] Sanders, a former cornerback and kick returner, compliments Hester after every productive performance. However, Sanders also berated Hester for taunting another player en route to his second touchdown return against the St. Louis Rams.[41] His teammates and coaches have also praised Hester. After the 2006 season, he was voted to receive the team's Brian Piccolo Award, which is given to a player who possesses a good character and work ethic.[42] Bears fans and the local media nicknamed Hester the "Windy City Flyer" during his first year in Chicago.[43]
2007 season[edit]
Shortly after losing Super Bowl XLI, Hester and special teams coach Dave Toub spent a significant amount of time working on new return strategies and formations.[44] Ultimately, Lovie Smith converted Hester into a wide receiver in order to increase the number of opportunities he would receive during a game.[45] Hester, who originally played as a wide receiver at the University of Miami, was initially hesitant about making the switch to offense, as he wished to follow in the footsteps of Deion Sanders.[46] However, the Bears' coaching staff eventually persuaded Hester to make the transition over the summer. During the 2007 off-season, Hester won the Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award.[47]
Although NFL rules generally required wide receivers to wear jersey numbers in the 10–19 and 80–89 range, players who later change positions are allowed to keep their previous number, as long as it is not within the 50–79 range for eligible receiver purposes prior to the 2021 NFL season.[48] Hester was allowed to keep number 23, a number normally used for cornerbacks, since it sits outside the 50–79 range. Along with former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Dwight Stone, who wore number 20 during his eight-year stint in Pittsburgh, and Oakland Raiders wide receiver Cliff Branch, Hester was one of three wide receivers to wear a 20s jersey number since the NFL adopted the current uniform numbering system in 1973.[49]
Hester returned his first touchdown of the season, a 73-yard punt return, against the Kansas City Chiefs during Week 2.[50] He nearly recorded a second touchdown return, but the play was negated by a holding penalty.[50] Hester established himself as a threat on offense, when he caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from Brian Griese against the Minnesota Vikings.[51] He also returned a punt for an 89-yard touchdown, though the Bears lost the game. In the weeks to come, many opposing special teams began to kick the ball away from Hester, contributing to, according to Mike Pereira, a 132% increase in kickoffs that went out-of-bounds.[52] Rod Marinelli, the head coach of the Detroit Lions, placed a strong emphasis on kicking the ball away from Hester, saying, "kick the ball into Lake Michigan and make sure it (sinks) to the bottom."[53]
Before the Bears' Week 12 matchup against the Denver Broncos, Todd Sauerbrun infamously stated that he would kick the ball to Hester.[54] Hester, who had not returned a kick for a touchdown in almost a month, responded by returning a punt and kickoff for touchdowns.[55] Keith Olbermann, a commentator for NBC Sunday Night Football, awarded Sauerbrun with the dubious "Worst Person in the NFL Award" for kicking the ball to Hester and failing to tackle him.[56] The two touchdowns gave Hester the most kick returns for touchdowns in the Bears' franchise history. Hester concluded the season with a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 55-yard touchdown reception against the New Orleans Saints.[57] He was even given the opportunity to throw a pass on a variation of a wide receiver reverse, but he was sacked while motioning to Bernard Berrian.[58]
Hester finished the season with six kicks returned for touchdowns, which set a league record.[59] He finished the season ranking fourth on the League's all-time combined kick return list, behind Brian Mitchell (13), Eric Metcalf (12), and Dante Hall (12).[60] Additionally, he amassed 299 yards on 20 receptions as a receiver, though he was often used as a decoy.[61] His play on offense received mixed commentary. While the Bears' coaching staff believed Hester showed enough progress to become one of the team's top receivers in 2008, Hester was prone to making small errors, including running routes incorrectly or dropping catches.[62][63] He drew a 15-yard facemask penalty while attempting to fend off a would-be tackler in a game against the Saints, and received a $5,000 fine.[64] Nevertheless, Hester concluded the season with four Player of the Week Awards, giving him a franchise-high total of seven in his career, and an invitation to the 2008 Pro Bowl.[65]
2008 season[edit]
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Prior to the beginning of the 2008 season, Hester stated that he would not attend the Bears' summer camp unless the team offered him a new contract.[66] He further voiced his displeasure with his current contract in a phone interview with the Chicago Tribune, commenting, "I can't go out and play this year making $445,000. Come on, man."[67] Adam Schefter believed that the Bears were puzzled over how Hester should be classified (as a wide receiver or a return specialist of such a star caliber), and be offered a contract accordingly.[68] After receiving a $30,000 fine for not attending two days of training, Hester returned to the team's camp.[69] The team later offered him a new four-year contract extension, worth over $40 million.[70]
Hester missed the third game of the season after tearing cartilage in his ribs during the previous week.[71] He returned to the field in the team's Week 4 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles, where he caught his first touchdown of the season. Lovie Smith gave Hester his first starting job as a wide receiver the next week, in place of the injured Brandon Lloyd.[72] Hester went on to catch five passes for 66 yards and one touchdown.[73] In the following week, Hester totaled 87 yards on six receptions.
After a Week 8 bye, Hester caught four passes for 42 yards and had an 11-yard run against the Detroit Lions. He eventually lost his kick return duties to Danieal Manning, but began receiving more playing time as a wide receiver.[74] Between Week 12 and 15, Hester caught 17 passes for 250 yards and one touchdown.[75] David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune regarded Hester as the team's "biggest threat in the passing game".[76] He concluded the season by catching 51 passes for a team high 665 yards.[77] Unlike his previous two seasons in the NFL, Hester did not record a single touchdown return[77] and only averaged 6.2 yards per punt return.[78] Lovie Smith commented on Hester at the end of the season by saying, "I know his returns dropped off a little bit this year, but his plate was full there for a while. We think we have a happy medium now for him as a punt returner and continuing to develop as a receiver."[79] Hester was also selected to play in the 2009 Pro Bowl as a third alternate.[80]
2009 season[edit]
After the acquisition of Jay Cutler, Hester took on the role as the de facto number-one wide receiver.[81][82] In the first game of the season, Hester caught seven passes from Cutler for 90 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown reception. In the following weeks Hester began to develop a rapport with Cutler and amassed 634 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the first ten weeks of the season. He played the best game of the season on October 25, 2009, against the Cincinnati Bengals, catching eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. In a game against the St. Louis Rams during the thirteenth week of the season, Hester injured his calf and missed three starts.[83] Hester returned to play in the Bears season finale against the Detroit Lions, catching three passes for 75 yards.[84] Despite missing the three starts, Hester led the team with 757 receiving yards, and finished behind Greg Olsen in receptions.[84] Hester built his reputation around his kick returning abilities, but his kickoff-returning duties decreased significantly following the 2007 season finale.[85] He told the Chicago Tribune that he plans on spending the offseason honing his receiving and returning skills by strengthening in his legs, especially to fully recover from the calf injury he sustained earlier.[86]
2010 season[edit]
During the off-season, Hester worked on his speed and conditioning by prioritizing running over weight training.[87] Bears offensive coordinator, Mike Martz, gave Hester the opportunity to work with Isaac Bruce, who was part of Martz's "Greatest Show on Turf". Bruce advised Heste