One year after being a near-miss for enshrinement, former Bears returner Devin Hester began his second march toward the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday, when he was named one of 129 nominees.
Hester had an NFL-record 20 returns for touchdowns — 14 punts, five kickoffs and one field goal that fell short. All but one of his returns came as a Bear, for whom he played from 2006-13. He’s the only player to start a Super Bowl with a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Hester has the best chance to reach the Hall among former Bears. Linebacker Lance Briggs, cornerback Charles Tillman and center Olin Kreutz were also named to the initial candidate list Tuesday. Briggs and Kreutz were first nominated in 2019, and Tillman — who popularized the “Peanut Punch” — in 2020. None have advanced to the second round of the selection process before.
The list will be whittled down to 25 semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in January. Hester, who was one of the last players passed over for induction as a first-time nominee in January, figures to go at least into the final round again this season.
The Hall — whose nomination process is open to all players who have been inactive for at least five years — will welcome between four and nine new members with an announcement on the eve of the Super Bowl. They will be enshrined in August in Canton, Ohio.
Edge rusher Jared Allen, receiver Muhsin Muhammad, guard Ruben Brown and quarterback Dave Krieg were also nominated. They played for the Bears but made their names elsewhere.
