History was made Thursday night.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined a member strictly on a player's return ability. There is no question that former Miami Hurricane Devin Hester is the best kick/punt returner in the history of the NFL.
Only five special teams players are in the Hall of Fame — four kickers and now, one returner. In his impressive career, Hester has an NFL record of 20 kick and punt return touchdowns.
Hester has the most punt return touchdowns (14) than anyone in NFL history, and his 20 non-offensive touchdowns are also the most in league history. He also has the highest average yards per punt return among those with at least 300 returns in NFL history.
Hester is a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro and owns the record for most return touchdowns and total return touchdowns. Hester returned a touchdown from a missed field and returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in Super Bowl 41.
Hester was a Hall of Fame finalist for the third time, which was the charm.
Hester joins an elite group of Miami Hurricanes in the Pro Football Hall of Fame - Jim Otto in 1980, Ted Hendricks in 1990, Jim Kelly in 2002, Michael Irvin in 2007, Cortez Kennedy in 2012, Warren Sapp in 2013, Ray Lewis in 2018, Ed Reed in 2019, and Edgerrin James in 2020.
Andre Johnson joins Hester in the 2024 class to give Miami 11 selections in its history.
The Riviera Beach, FL, from Suncoast High School, was widely regarded as the top Florida athlete. He made his mark as a freshman at the U in 2003.
He ranked sixth nationally in kickoff return average at 28.7 yards per return and led the team in kickoff return yards with 18 returns for 517 yards and one touchdown in year one. He kicked off his career, returning two kickoffs for 73 yards, including a long of 54 yards, at Louisiana Tech.
He returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against Florida, the fifth-longest kickoff return in Miami history.
In 2004, he was named to the Walter Camp All-America team as the nation’s best kick returner, selected as the kickoff returner on The Sporting News All-America team, and selected first-team All-ACC as a kick returner.
Hester ranked fifth nationally with a 17.6-yard average on punt returns and ninth in the NCAA with a 26.6-yard average on kickoff returns, scoring four touchdowns on returns (three punts, one kickoff), second most in the country—his four punt returns for a touchdown tied Santana Moss’ single-season UM record.
In a game against Duke 2005, Hester broke six tackles while returning an 81-yard punt.Hester completed his college career with six touchdowns from kick returns (4 punts and two kickoffs), one blocked field goal return, one rushing touchdown, and one receiving touchdown. He recorded five interceptions as a defensive back.
Hester finished his three seasons with 41 punt returns for 638 yards, 40 kick returns for 1,019 yards, 24 carries for 160 yards, ten receptions for 196 yards, 11 tackles, one sack, and five interceptions for 57 return yards.
The Chicago Bears drafted him in the second round of the 2006 draft.
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