Saturday 20 September 2014

Devin Hester breaks Deion Sanders' NFL record for return touchdowns

Devin_Hester_(cropped)Devin Hester has done one thing  – return kicks – better than anyone in NFL history. He cleared up any doubt about that on Thursday night.
In the second quarter, Hester weaved through the Buccaneers' special teams on a punt return and got into the open field. He beat the punter and strolled into the end zone for the 20th return touchdown of his career, breaking Deion Sanders' record of 19. That gave Atlanta a 35-0 lead. Hester even showed Sanders some love by putting his left hand behind his head and high-stepping the final few yards, one of Sanders' signature moves when he was returning punts and interceptions for touchdown with the Falcons.
Hester, who is in his first season with the Falcons after spending his first eight seasons with the Bears, redefined the position of returner. He never really became more than a role player at receiver for the Bears, although the Falcons are getting a lot out of him. Hester also scored on a reverse at the start of the second quarter (and he also forced a fumble on a great hustle play in the first quarter). Even though Hester naver became a star on offense, he's the most electifying return man ever.
Sanders didn't argue that point after Hester broke his record.
Now that Hester has broken the return record it begs the question, should he be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
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Sanders is in because he was also perhaps the greatest cover cornerback of all time. Can Hester get in being a specialist? Ray Guy just became the first full-time punter to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. That should give Hester hope. Being the greatest ever at his position should at least get Hester a long look from the voters.
Hester deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Even if he doesn't get there, he now has a record for return touchdowns that doesn't seem like it will be broken for a long, long time.

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