They are saying Father Time catches as much as all people.
Perhaps so. However when Devin Hester was launched on the sector earlier than Thursday’s Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame Recreation in Canton, Ohio, I swear I heard Father Time wheezing far behind and swearing to himself as he struggled to maintain tempo.
Hester, essentially the most dynamic kick returner within the historical past of the NFL, is now 41 years outdated. However as he took the sector in a white polo shirt with the Corridor of Fame brand on the chest, he appeared like he was nonetheless in his 20s.
He gave a salute that remodeled right into a peace signal. He pumped his proper arm, and his gold bracelet glistened. He appeared to not have a single grey hair on his head or his beard.
Would anybody have been shocked if he took the opening kickoff to the home?
When Hester is formally inducted into the Corridor of Fame this weekend, he might be one in every of one. There isn’t a different inductee fairly like him.
The ex-Miami Hurricanes standout actually modified the sport. Sure, he performed extensive receiver and cornerback in faculty, however on particular groups is the place he shined.
Bears followers will always remember his tenure with the crew from 2006–13. He performed a number of extra seasons after that with Atlanta and Baltimore, however he’ll ceaselessly be related along with his electrifying returns in Chicago orange and blue.
Subsequent time you hit that afternoon lull, simply lookup some Hester video highlights. It’s cheaper than espresso, and it received’t go away you with caffeine jitters.
All advised, he racked up 20 return touchdowns to set the NFL’s all-time document. That included 14 punt return touchdowns, 5 kickoff return touchdowns and an particularly dazzling profession spotlight during which he caught a missed subject purpose at the back of the tip zone and returned it 108 yards for a landing as a rookie.
These had been simply his regular-season accomplishments. He additionally returned the opening kickoff of Tremendous Bowl XLI for a 92-yard landing that turned everybody watching the sport in Chicago right into a “Tremendous Followers” character from Saturday Evening Stay.
Bears 77, Colts 2.
The ultimate rating didn’t prove that manner, as Peyton Manning and the Colts got here again to win the Tremendous Bowl. And Hester’s profession didn’t prove precisely the way in which he needed, because the crew tried and failed to show him right into a No. 1 extensive receiver.
However when he fielded a return, you involuntarily held your breath. Something might occur within the subsequent few seconds as he raced ahead, modified path, looped backward and finally discovered daylight and hit an inside turbo button.
Keep in mind how I mentioned there is no such thing as a different Corridor of Fame participant fairly like Hester?
There’ll by no means be one other one like him, both, because the NFL now treats its kick return recreation like some sort of unusual science experiment.
The primary play of Thursday’s recreation between the Bears and Houston Texans made that a lot clear.
Bears kicker Cairo Santos stood all by himself behind the ball on a tee on the Chicago 35-yard line.
The Bears’ different 10 gamers stood on the other aspect of midfield, on the Texans’ 40-yard line. 5 yards away, on the Texans’ 35-yard line, Houston had 9 blockers going through the Bears’ kickoff unit.
Houston had two return males close to the purpose line, and Steven Sims was the one to subject the opening kickoff. Each different participant on the Bears and Texans stood immobile, like a baseball participant standing on third base ready for a sacrifice fly to be caught, they usually sprang to life the second Sims caught the ball.
There have been numerous speedy one-on-one blocks—image a thin model of linemen locking one another up—as Sims surged ahead and received tripped up close to the 25.
It appeared like a gimmicky XFL play.
Oh, hey, what are you aware? The NFL copied a lot of the idea from the XFL.
What precisely was taking place right here? Is the kickoff recreation so damaged that the league ought to simply abandon it fully and have groups begin each drive on their 25?
One can solely surprise what Hester thought as he watched the play in entrance of him.
Perhaps, simply perhaps, it led to his first grey hair.
