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On Wednesday night, the Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed its 15 modern-era finalists for the 2024 class. One compelling candidate is Devin Hester, arguably the greatest returner in league history.
Hester played with four teams in 11 seasons, starring for the Chicago Bears from 2006-13. Per StatMuse, he has the NFL record for return TDs (20). He also earned three first-team All-Pro nods and made four Pro Bowls.
However, some feel he doesn’t belong. When Hester missed the cut this past February, HOF voter and longtime NFL writer Dan Pompei noted specialists play on fewer snaps, hurting their case.
“There was back and forth,” Pompei said of the selection process, per the Bears’ website. “It was a little contentious because there were a number of selectors who believe that a special teams player shouldn’t be as validated as a player who plays 65 snaps a game, and there was some back and forth about that.”
For context, HOFer Deion Sanders — who played for 14 seasons — is second in return TDs (19), but he also starred at cornerback and won 1994 Defensive Player of The Year.
Still, Hester has historical significance, and that should count for something. In Super Bowl XLI, he became the first player to return the opening kickoff for a TD in the game’s history.
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