Devin Hester reminded the Vikings on Sunday night that he’s the most dangerous return man in NFL history, running back a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. And that has some of Hester’s fellow Bears wondering why any team ever puts the ball in his hands.
“I think the shocking part for us is that people still kick to him because he’s such a threat,” Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said. “And we know he is taking a shot, he might take one to the house, so it’s fun.”
It’s easy to say no team should ever kick to Hester, but it’s awfully hard to do: Even with kickoffs moved up to the 35-yard line, kickers can’t always boot the ball out of the end zone. Sometimes Hester is going to get the ball in his hands.
And when that happens, the Bears are in very good shape.
“There’s never been anyone like him,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said.
Smith is right about that: Hester has 11 punt return touchdowns, five kickoff return touchdowns and one missed field goal return touchdown in his NFL career. There’s never been a kick returner like him, and at age 28, Hester is showing no signs of slowing down.