Devin Hester (1982-) was born in Riviera Beach, where playing football helped him overcome personal tragedies in his youth. At Suncoast High School, he excelled as a cornerback, wide receiver, return specialist, and running back. He was recognized by SuperPrep. com as the sixth-best high school prospect in Florida, and by Parade on their All-American team. Hester also played in the 2002 CaliFlorida Bowl before graduating from Suncoast.
At the University of Miami, Hester was the first football player in the Hurricanes’ history to line up on offense, defense, and special teams. He was named to the Walter Camp and Sporting News’ All-American teams. At Miami, Hester met Deion Sanders, whose legendary cornerback career he had followed as a youth, who became his mentor. Hester’s nickname at Miami was “Anytime,” a tribute to Sanders’ “Prime Time” nickname.
Hester earned another name, “Windy City Flyer,” with the Chicago Bears, who chose him in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, Hester broke or tied several franchise and NFL records. He earned a trip to the 2007 Pro Bowl and several other honors, including the team’s Brian Piccolo Award, given for good character and work ethic.
At Super Bowl XLI in 2007, Hester made the first touchdown return in an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history. He earned the title of NFL Special Teams Player of the Week three times, was chosen for the Pro Bowl, and finished the season as the Bears’ second leading scorer. Hester was inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.