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Rome Odunze rocks Devin Hester jersey ahead of Bears-Texans Hall of Fame game

Wade-Peeryby:Wade Peery08/01/24
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Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Football is officially back. The NFL 2024-2025 season officially commences on Thursday night, with the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio kicking things off. It’s just the preseason, sure, but the long wait in the offseason for the beloved game of football is finally over. On Thursday evening, Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze paid tribute to one of the greatest players in NFL history, former Chicago kick returner Devin Hester.

When he showed up to the game, Odunze was wearing a Hester jersey.

Hester is being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in the 2024 class on Saturday in Canton, Ohio.

Devin Hester was one of the greatest to ever do it

There are few words that can do justice to describe what it was like to watch Devin Hester on a football field. Blessed with a jaw-dropping combination of speed, acceleration, and cutting ability, Hester established himself as the greatest special teams’ return man in the history of the game. He owns a near endless number of special teams’ records from his time in the National Football League.

From 2006-2016, he wrapped up his career with the NFL record for the most combined special teams’ touchdowns in a career (14 punt returns, five kick returns, one missed field goal). Few, if any, will ever be able to do it quite like he could during his time with the Chicago Bears, the franchise that he spent the majority of his years with.

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Hester was named to the Pro Bowl four times in his career (2006, 2007, 2010, 2014). He led the NFL in kick return yards twice in his career (2013 and 2014). And the former Miami Hurricanes star led the NFL in punt return yards twice (2006 and 2010). Once he hung up his cleats, Hester was honored on several different NFL teams: NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

During his college football days with the Miami Hurricanes, Hester earned first team All-ACC honors twice (2004 and 2005), while also landing first team All-American honors in 2004. He’s been inducted into the University of Miami Hall of Fame. After three seasons, he finished with 41 punt returns for 638 yards and 40 kick returns for 1,019 yards. He wrapped up his prolific college career with four punt return touchdowns and two kick return touchdowns.