Chicago Bears

Devin Hester Named Finalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2022

Devin Hester named finalist for Hall of Fame's Class of 2022 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Former Chicago Bears wide receiver and punt/kick returner Devin Hester was named one of the 15 finalists of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2022 on Thursday.

Hester spent his first eight NFL seasons in Chicago, where he was named to three Pro Bowls and received three First-Team All-Pro selections. The University of Miami product played 12 seasons in the NFL, spending two seasons in Atlanta, one in Baltimore and one in Seattle after his Bears tenure.

Hester's impact with the Bears was immediate. In his 2006 rookie season, he led the league in punts returned (47), punt return yards (600), punts returned for touchdowns (three) and kickoffs returned for touchdowns (two). He also took a missed field goal 108 yards to the house, only the fifth time a "kick-six" has happened in the NFL.

Later in his rookie campaign, Hester made history in Super Bowl XLI, becoming the first and only player to return an opening kickoff for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

In his sophomore season, Hester was arguably even better in the return game. He took 42 punt returns for a career-high 651 yards and four touchdowns, an NFL-best in 2007. Between the four punt returns for touchdowns and his two kickoff returns for touchdowns, he established a single-season NFL record of six combined kick return TDs.

His career in Chicago concluded with a total of 315 punt returns for 3,695 yards and 14 touchdowns to pair with 295 kickoff returns for 7,333 yards and five touchdowns. Hester also added 217 catches as a wide receiver for 2,807 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

Hester holds a multitude of Bears special teams records. Hester is first in franchise history in both single-season and career punt return yards, punt return touchdowns and kickoff return yards, in addition to owning several other records.

The return specialist also holds the NFL records for career punt return touchdowns (14), punt return touchdowns in a season (four) and combined career special teams return touchdowns (20). 

And that's not all. Hester was also named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s and was one of two return specialists named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

This is the first year of Hall of Fame eligibility for the legendary Bears special-teamer/receiver. He joins DeMarcus Ware and Andre Johnson as the three players who are finalists in their first year of eligibility.

The Hall of Fame's Selection Committee will vote on Jan. 18 to determine who gets into this year's class. 

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