Chicago Bears Top 100: #22 Devin Hester
Oct 20, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Hester (23) runs with the ball past Washington Redskins defensive back Jose Gumbs (48) to make a touchdown in the second quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Hester was just getting started. In 2007 he added six more return touchdowns. Of course, the Bears had to get greedy and try to find ways to get the ball in Hester’s hands more by converting him to a wide receiver. It seemed like the switch was too much for Hester. He went two seasons from 2008 – 2009 without a return TD. It seemed like it was the beginning of the end for Hester’s ridiculous returns. But he bounced back in 2010 with another three punt returns for TD and averaged career bests in yards per return with 17.1 yards per punt return and 35.6 yards per kickoff return.
Hester changed the way the game was played. Moving the kickoffs up five yards to reduce kickoff returns in commonly called the “Hester Rule” while you’ve never seen more punts go sailing out of bounds than when Hester was lined up back there. Devin broke the record for more kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns and is currently tied with his mentor Deion Sanders for the most return TD’s of all time. Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself:
He desperately wanted to break that record as a member of the Chicago Bears, but this offseason, the Bears decided to go in another direction in their return game. Hester signed on with the Atlanta Falcons and will look to break the record when the Bears visit on October 12th. Hester combined for 33 touchdowns in his Chicago Bears career and is one of the all time greats for a franchise filled with all time greats.
DEVIN HESTER, YOU ARE RIDICULOUS!!!
What do you think of the ranking? Too high? Too low? I guess you’ll have to check back to see who finished ahead of him to judge for yourself. We’ll be counting down a different person each day as we inch our way to the September 7th season opener.