The Greatest of All Time is hanging ‘ em up:
https://twitter.com/D_Hest23/status/940601292753338368
Devin Hester announced his retirement from football via a Twitter post on Tuesday. Hester hinted at walking away after the Seattle Seahawks were eliminated from the postseason, but made his move officially official with a social media post.
Hester thanked Bears fans for welcoming him, showed appreciation for his stops with the Falcons, Seahawks, and Ravens, and let Roger Goodell know he can change the kickoff rules now that the most dangerous return specialist in league history was walking away from the game.
The Bears drafted Hester in the second round (57th overall) in the 2006 NFL Draft. The University of Miami product was a Pro Bowler in 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2014. He was also a three-time first-team All-Pro.
Hester played 156 games in 11 seasons, with a bulk of his career coming in Chicago. Nicknamed The Windy City Flyer for all the obvious reasons, Hester retired 20 non-offensive touchdowns – the most in NFL history. Hester came away with 14 punt return touchdowns, five scores on kick returns, and a missed field goal return touchdown.
He also provided the best highlight for Bears fans who weren’t alive to soak in the glory of Super Bowl XX:
Next stop is Canton, right?
Hester has a unique and compelling case to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which can be put up for voting five years after a player’s retirement. Based on the Hall’s policies (inducting a maximum of seven players a year, for example) and the inequality of representation for the best special teams players in the sport’s history, it won’t be easy for Hester to get in.
But if anyone brakes through that glass ceiling, it’s a guy who did this: