1. Devin Hester 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.
101 Facts About Devin Hester
1. 2.
Devin Hester was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft.
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Devin Hester is the only player to return the opening kick of a Super Bowl for a touchdown.
4.
Devin Hester was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team for both the 2000s and 2010s.
5.
Originally drafted as a cornerback, Devin Hester quickly made an impact as a kick and punt returner, and later became a wide receiver.
6.
Devin Hester was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024 after being a finalist in 2022 and 2023.
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Devin Hester was born to Juanita Brown and Lenorris Hester Sr.
8.
Devin Hester soon returned to his normal life and began to excel in sports.
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Devin Hester especially idolized Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin.
10.
Devin Hester was a fan of the Chicago Bulls during the Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson era.
11.
Devin 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.
12.
Devin Hester participated in the 2002 CaliFlorida Bowl, where he returned a kick for an 80-yard touchdown.
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Devin Hester's success prompted his teammates to nickname him "Sugar Foot".
14.
Devin Hester 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.
15.
Devin Hester competed in the 60 meters and 100 meters, posting personal bests of 6.77 seconds and 10.62,10.42W seconds, respectively.
16.
Ultimately, Devin Hester completed his college career with a total of six touchdowns from kick returns, one blocked field goal return, one rushing touchdown, one receiving touchdown and recorded five interceptions as a defensive back.
17.
Devin Hester became the first football player in the Miami Hurricanes' recent history to play as member of the special, offensive, and defensive teams.
18.
Devin Hester was known as "Hurricane Hester" by his fans and teammates.
19.
Devin Hester was known as "Anytime" in college, which is a tribute to Sanders' nickname, "Prime Time".
20.
Devin Hester adopted Sanders' signature touchdown dance, and showboating maneuvers, which he carried to his future NFL career.
21.
Devin 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.
22.
Devin 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.
23.
The team's decision to draft Devin Hester was initially criticized by fans and sports analysts, who believed the Bears should have spent their early picks on offensive prospects.
24.
Devin Hester 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.
Devin Hester started the game for the Bears by returning the game's opening kick for a touchdown.
26.
Devin Hester was 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.
27.
Devin Hester 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.
28.
However, Sanders berated Devin Hester for taunting another player en route to his second touchdown return against the St Louis Rams.
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However, the Bears' coaching staff eventually persuaded Devin Hester to make the transition over the summer.
30.
Devin Hester returned his first touchdown of the season, a 73-yard punt return, against the Kansas City Chiefs during Week 2.
31.
Devin Hester nearly recorded a second touchdown return, but the play was negated by a holding penalty.
32.
Devin Hester established himself as a threat on offense, when he caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from Brian Griese against the Minnesota Vikings.
33.
Devin Hester returned a punt for an 89-yard touchdown, though the Bears lost the game.
34.
Devin Hester, who had not returned a kick for a touchdown in almost a month, responded by returning a punt and kickoff for touchdowns.
35.
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 Devin Hester and failing to tackle him.
36.
Devin Hester concluded the season with a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 55-yard touchdown reception against the New Orleans Saints.
37.
Devin Hester 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.
38.
Devin Hester finished the season with six kicks returned for touchdowns, which set a league record.
39.
Devin Hester finished the season ranking fourth on the League's all-time combined kick return list, behind Brian Mitchell, Eric Metcalf, and Dante Hall.
40.
Devin Hester 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.
41.
Nevertheless, Devin 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.
42.
Devin Hester missed the third game of the season after tearing cartilage in his ribs during the previous week.
43.
Devin Hester returned to the field in the team's Week 4 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles, where he caught his first touchdown of the season.
44.
Devin Hester went on to catch five passes for 66 yards and one touchdown.
45.
Devin Hester eventually lost his kick return duties to Danieal Manning, but began receiving more playing time as a wide receiver.
46.
Between Week 12 and 15, Devin Hester caught 17 passes for 250 yards and one touchdown.
47.
Devin Hester concluded the season by catching 51 passes for a team high 665 yards.
48.
Unlike his previous two seasons in the NFL, Devin Hester did not record a single touchdown return and only averaged 6.2 yards per punt return.
49.
Devin Hester played the best game of the season on October 25,2009, against the Cincinnati Bengals, catching eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.
50.
Devin Hester returned to play in the Bears season finale against the Detroit Lions, catching three passes for 75 yards.
51.
Devin Hester built his reputation around his kick returning abilities, but his kickoff-returning duties decreased significantly following the 2007 season finale.
52.
Devin Hester told the Chicago Tribune that he planned 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.
53.
Bruce advised Devin Hester on route-running and basic wide receiver fundamentals.
54.
Devin Hester appeared in three preseason games, where he recorded five receptions for 64 yards.
55.
In week 10 of the regular season, Devin Hester caught four passes for 38 yards and a 19-yard touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
56.
Devin Hester was given back his kick return duties, and returned two kicks for 100 yards including a run back of 68 yards.
57.
Devin Hester ran back two punts for 47 yards including a return of 42 yards.
58.
Later, Devin Hester returned a Chris Kluwe punt 64 yards for a touchdown, which set the all-time NFL record for combined kickoff and punt returns for touchdown with 14, passing Brian Mitchell.
59.
Devin Hester finished the season with 40 receptions for 475 yards and four touchdowns.
60.
Devin Hester was the third leading scorer, behind running back Matt Forte and kicker Robbie Gould.
61.
Devin Hester was ranked 32nd best player in the League in a poll where active NFL players ranked their top 100 peers.
62.
On October 2,2011, Devin Hester became the NFL's all-time leader in punt return touchdowns with 11 when he returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers surpassing Eric Metcalf's record.
63.
Devin Hester was ranked 48th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.
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Devin Hester exclusively saw playing time as a return specialist when Marc Trestman became the Bears' head coach.
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In week two against the Minnesota Vikings, Devin Hester broke the team record for most kickoff return yards in a game with 249.
66.
Four weeks later against the New York Giants, Devin Hester passed Glyn Milburn for the most all-time kickoff return yards in franchise history with 4,643 yards.
67.
Devin Hester ended the 2013 season having averaged 27.7 kickoff return yards and 14.2 punt return yards, while leading the league in kickoff return yards with 1,442.
68.
Devin Hester released a statement on March 5,2014, that the Bears did not intend to re-sign him.
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Devin Hester thanked the Bears organization and fan base for their support throughout his time in Chicago.
70.
Devin Hester signed a three-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons on March 20,2014.
71.
Also in the same game, Devin Hester recorded a rushing touchdown, forced fumble and fumble recovery.
72.
Devin Hester was named the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Week for his accomplishments.
73.
Devin Hester concluded the season with 504 receiving yards from 38 receptions and led the NFL with 1,128 kick-off return yards.
74.
Devin Hester was selected to play in the 2015 Pro Bowl.
75.
Devin Hester missed a majority of the 2015 NFL season due to a turf toe injury.
76.
Devin Hester tallied 235 kick return yards and 34 punt return yards, but failed to record a touchdown.
77.
Devin Hester underwent foot surgery in January 2016 to repair the toe injury he sustained earlier in the season.
78.
Devin Hester attributed his dismissal to the lingering toe-injury he sustained in the previous season.
79.
Devin Hester voiced interest in continuing his career in the NFL for the 2016 season once he has fully recovered.
80.
On September 4,2016, Devin Hester agreed to a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
81.
Devin Hester appeared in 12 games for the Ravens, where he was used exclusively as a return specialist.
82.
Devin Hester recorded 180 punt return yards and 466 kick return yards but failed to return a touchdown during the 2016 season.
83.
Devin Hester signed with the Seattle Seahawks on January 3,2017.
84.
Devin Hester returned one kickoff for 20 yards and one punt for five yards against the Detroit Lions.
85.
Devin Hester announced his intentions to retire from professional football after the game.
86.
On December 12,2017, Devin Hester officially announced his retirement from the NFL.
87.
Devin Hester amassed over 10,000 career yards returning punts and kickoffs, an NFL-record 20 touchdown returns, and four Pro Bowl selections over his 11-season career.
88.
Devin Hester is regarded as one of the greatest return specialists in NFL history.
89.
Devin Hester believed Hester's success led other teams to invest draft capital in return specialists, hoping to replicate the impact Hester had on the Bears.
90.
Devin Hester added other teams shifted their approach by prioritizing players who excelled in covering kicks and punts rather than retaining backups who made limited contributions to special teams.
91.
On September 22,2021, Devin Hester was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, though he was not inducted.
92.
On February 8,2024, in his third year of eligibility, Devin Hester was selected for induction, becoming the first return specialist to make the Hall of Fame.
93.
Devin Hester returned a missed field goal 108 yards for a touchdown in a 2006 game against the New York Giants, and thus has 6 total TD for that season.
94.
Devin Hester was in a relationship with Tamara James, a women's basketball player he met at the University of Miami.
95.
Later, Devin Hester married Zingha Walcott, an elementary school teacher, in 2010.
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Devin Hester has assisted his family financially in helping them rebuild their home.
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Devin Hester is cousins with Aaron Devin Hester who played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.
98.
Devin Hester was invited to throw the ceremonial opening pitch and sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at the Chicago Cubs' 2007 home opener.
99.
Devin Hester appeared in commercials for Under Armour in 2008 and 2009.
100.
The competition consisted of Devin Hester running back and forth on a straight track to simulate laps, while the cheetah ran in a similar but separate track.
101.
In 2013, Devin Hester founded the Anytime 23 Empowerment Center Inc.