Some team will eventually decide to stop kicking to Devin Hester. Until they do, the Chicago Bears will continue to enjoy an advantage that all of their opponents wish they had: a player who's a threat to score any time he touches the ball.
Turning Special Teams into Offense
Hester was drafted in the second round out of Miami, where he bounced between offense and defense and was known as a jack of all trades, master of none. One thing everyone agreed on was that he could fly, and he's done just that in his rookie season, terrorizing teams as a record-setting kick returner while also seeing some time at cornerback.
He's also shown a flair for the dramatic. Hester helped bail the Bears out from a 20-point halftime deficit in Week Six with an 83-yard punt return touchdown. He followed that up four weeks later by taking a missed field goal 108 yards to the house against the New York Giants, tying the NFL record for longest scoring play.
Record-setting Rookie
In Week 14, Hester got a record all to himself when his pair of kickoff return TDs against the Rams gave him six return scores on the season, best in league history. Collectors responded with increased interest in his rookie cards, which is likely to continue until someone chooses to avoid giving him scoring opportunities.
As a cornerback who wasn't expected to make an impact on the tough Chicago defense, Hester has plenty of 2006 RCs but not too many of the ultra-limited variety. That should make it much easier for fans to track down his cards than for coverage teams to do the same on the gridiron.
Devin Hester Rookie Cards
| Set | Number | Other Info |
| Draft Picks & Prospects | # 112 | |
| Topps | # 334 | |
| Chrome | # 252 | |
| Total | # 448 | |
| Finest | # 125 | |
| Bowman | # 161 | |
| Bowman Sterling | # BS-DHE | autographed |
| Upper Deck Legends | # 133 | |
| Upper Deck | # 244 | |
| Rookie Debut | # 118 | |
| Ultimate Collection | # 303 | #'d to 275 |
| Sweet Spot | # 217 | autograph #'d to 899 |
| Fleer | # 132 | |
| Ultra | # 229 | |
| Absolute Memorabilia | # 239 | autograph #'d to 349 |
| Donruss Classics | # 138 | #'d to 1499 |
| Elite | # 142 | #'d to 599 |
| Gridiron Gear | # 139 | #'d to 599 |
| Threads | # 171 | #'d to 999 |
| Leaf Limited | # 182 | #'d to 299 |
| Leaf Rookies & Stars | # 222 | #'d to 599 |
| Score | # 375 | SP |
| Score Select | # 375 | #'d to 599 |