| Devin Hester: Chicago Bears Kickoff Specialist Ready for Super Bowl |
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| Written by Benton Vale | |||||||
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Wednesday, 24 January 2007
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Nobody will be more excited to get the Super Bowl started than Chicago Bears rookie cornerback and kickoff return specialist Devin Hester. And getting a game started is what Hester does best. Especially if the football is being kicked to him, something opposing teams would like not to do.
The Colts’ special teams on kickoff returns showed more holes than Swiss cheese allowing the Patriots return man Ellis Hobbs plenty of room to run. Hobbs returned six kickoffs for a total of 220 yards including an 80 yards return to set up a late third quarter Patriots’ touchdown. The Chicago Bears drafted Hester in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Although he was drafted as a cornerback, Lovie Smith intended to use Hester as a return specialist, due to his collegiate exploits. Hester’s rookie season was eventful and record breaking. In only thirteen weeks as a professional football player, Hester returned six touchdowns, including a record tying 108-yard touchdown from a missed field goal. He also returned a punt for a clutch 83-yard game-winning touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals, and two kickoff returns in one game against the Saint Louis Rams. Hester's feats earned him three NFC Special Teams Player of the week Awards, and will be making a trip to the NFL pro-bowl in Hawaii after the Super Bowl. Bet on the Chicago Bears +220 ($100 wager wins $220) to win the Super Bowl at Nine.com! After the regular season ended, he was named as the "NFC’s Player of the Month" for December, and was a finalist in the Pepsi Rookie of the Year voting. He was also voted onto the Associated Press’s 2006 All-Pro team with 48 ½ votes, finishing second behind LaDainian Tomlinson, Champ Bailey, and Jason Taylor who all received 50 votes.                        |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 24 January 2007 ) | |||||||
Hester was tagged with the name “The Windy City Flyer” after becoming the all-time record holder for making the most kickoff return touchdowns in a single season. And if the Bears young cornerback out of the University of Miami was watching the AFC Championship game after the Bears dispatching of the Saints on Sunday afternoon, he will have more reason to get excited.