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A Chicago Bears Superstar: The Career of Devin Hester

By Bryan Dietzler

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Dec 22, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Chicago Bears kick returner Devin Hester (23) runs back a kickoff during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Chicago Bears kick returner Devin Hester (23) runs back a kickoff during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Fans were clamoring to have Hester get a shot on offense after his successful 2006 season.  The coaching staff decided to give him some work at the wide receiver position.  Hester was wary of the idea but he and the team went forward with it.

His return skills overshadowed his receiving ability, however, and he was back at it again early on.  In the Bear’s second game of the season, against Kansas City, he returned a punt 73 yards for a score.  He did earn the first offensive score of his NFL career against the Vikings.  That came when he caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from then-quarterback Brian Griese.  He also had an 89-yard punt return for a score in the loss.

The same thing that happened in 2007 as it did in 2006.  Teams kicked away from him.  There was one guy though that didn’t want to kick away from Hester.  Denver Bronco’s punter Todd Sauerbrun told the media that he would not kick away from him.  In that game, Hester returned a Sauerbrun punt and a kickoff for a touchdown.  It garnered a lot of media attention.  Those two returns also gave Hester the Bears’ record in return touchdowns.

Hester closed out the 2007 season with two more touchdown returns.  Some of the honors he received included four NFC Special Teams Player awards and another trip to the Pro Bowl.

After some contract issues, prior to start of the 2007 season, Hester returned to try to keep up his record pace.  He had a rough start to the year but did some action at wide receiver.  His duties at wide receiver caused him to lose his time as a kick return specialist however.  He was a third alternate to the Pro Bowl despite the fact he didn’t have a single return for a touchdown that season.

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