The answer is “YES”, just maybe not for a long time.
Last night Devin Hester didn’t look like a returner who has lost a few steps. Maybe he has, but when you were already about eight steps ahead of everyone else, charitably giving a few back doesn’t hurt too much.
With his 62-yard punt return touchdown during a game that wasn’t really a game at all (the Falcons trampled Tampa 56-14), Hester broke a tie with Deion Sanders and set a new all-time return TD record.
The two were deadlocked at 19, and now Hester stands alone at 20. At 31 years old he still has a few prime-ish years left to tack onto that total, and even further cement his status as the best return man in league history.
Hester has owned the punt return touchdown record for quite some time. He has 14, while Eric Metcalf is second with 10, and there’s only one touchdown separating everyone else going down that list.
That alone is enough to eventually give Hester a replica of his head and shoulders placed in Canton, because Ray Guy just busted down the doors for specialists.
Previously some believed that if you can only do one highly specific thing, your role is minimized, even if you’re uniquely skilled at that thing. But the overwhelming counterargument which eventually placed Guy in Canton as the first punter inducted is that like every sports Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a museum for the game, and a place that records its history while honoring legends who leave a significant imprint on the sport. If we stubbornly exclude someone like Guy because his role was too specific, we’re also blindly excluding history.
Hester could be inducted purely as a return specialist with his 8,989 total career return yards. If he stays healthy that easily puts him in a position to finish among the top 10 all time in total return yardage. He’ll also slide into the top 5 (and likely beyond) in career punt return yards with ease.
But although there’s a clear connection, Hester isn’t just another Ray Guy at a different position. What sets him apart is that even if he’s primarily known for being a blazing fast return man, he’s succeeded at other positions.
Hester started his career as a cornerback. The Chicago Bears drafted him at that position, though of course he made his mark immediately as a returner with five touchdowns in his rookie season. Later when utilizing his speed elsewhere on the field became an idea that took about three seconds of thought, Hester made the transition to wide receiver, which is when he grew into more than just a one-dimensional threat.
In addition to the touchdown records and his continued return dominance that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere (he had a career high 1,436 kick return yards just last season), Hester has logged 3,033 total yards from scrimmage, 2,933 of which have come through the air as a receiver. He’s scored 15 times offensively too, the latest last night with his first career rushing touchdown on a 20-yard end around.
Though he brings special speed and talent to a football specialty, Hester has gone beyond that label. He’s Ray Guy then plus more, and like the punter he may have to wait for his yellow jacket.
But it will come in time.
