Hester special, indeed
Bears return specialist Devin Hester was sure Sunday was going to be his day.
"You get that gut feeling that you're due for one, you know?" Hester said. "Today, that's all I kept talking about, that we're due for a return. It's been a while since we got one, so let's go out and do what we do."
The Denver Broncos sated Hester's need for a touchdown fix by kicking to him repeatedly, as punter Todd Sauerbrun had promised during the week.
The second-year speedster responded by burning Denver twice for touchdowns, marking the first time he has found the end zone on a return since Oct. 14 against Minnesota, when he scored on an 89-yard punt return.
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Hester's 2 touchdown returns Sunday gave him 5 for the season and 10 for his career, the fourth-highest total in National Football League history despite just 131 career attempts. Washington's Brian Mitchell holds the NFL record with 13 returns for scores.
"I'm not out to break records right now, I'm just trying to finish out my career," the mild-mannered Hester said. "When it's over, I'll look back on that and see what kind of records I broke."
One record he can reflect upon someday while sipping tea in his rocking chair will be the team mark for returns, formerly owned by Gayle Sayers, which Hester broke by returning Sauerbrun's 46-yard punt 75 yards for a touchdown. It tied the game 13-13 with 13:07 left in the third quarter.
Hester made one tackler miss at the 30-yard line, broke into the open field, hurdled a prone Sauerbrun, raced to the left corner of the end zone and didn't stop until he was 20 yards up the tunnel.
"I couldn't stop," Hester said. "I was just trying to slow down without falling."
After Denver took a 20-13 lead shortly thereafter, Hester was at it again.
He sent the Soldier Field crowd into delirium for a second time on the day and the fifth time this season -- all 5 of his returns have taken place on Chicago soil -- by returning Sauerbrun's kickoff straight up the middle for an 88-yard score.
Hester said he wasn't surprised Denver continued to kick to him, saying, "They're the Denver Broncos. They're ranked like four or five in special teams, so I can see why they would kick it to me."
However, when asked if he'd keep kicking the ball to a guy like him if he was the opposing coach, Hester just smiled.
"I don't want to answer that question."