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Devin Hester, Andre Johnson receive gold jackets during Pro Football Hall of Fame induction

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz08/03/24NickSchultz_7

Friday night, Devin Hester and Andre Johnson officially joined an elite group. They received their gold jackets – cementing their places in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Hester, who set the NFL’s career return touchdown record, got his jacket from the previous record-holder: Deion Sanders. As for Johnson, fellow Miami legend Michael Irvin was on hand to present him with his custom jacket.

Both legends will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday during the induction ceremony. But Friday night was about getting the jacket, which they’ll wear on stage as they give their speeches.

Devin Hester was, in a word, ridiculous during his time in Chicago. He set NFL records in career return and punt return touchdowns across 11 seasons with the Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks from 2006-16. He’s also the only player in history to return the opening kickoff back for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

“The last six months — I can’t really express all the buildup and the emotions,” Hester said Friday, via the Bears’ website. “I would say it’s been from the moment that I fell in love with football at the age of 5 or 6 years old. The things that I had to go through and the process of getting to where we are today up here, speaking with you guys, it’s overwhelming.

“As a kid, I can honestly say I didn’t envision being in the Hall of Fame. That wasn’t even a question or even a thought … now to be up here with you guys and speak on the Hall of Fame, it’s a great honor.”

While Hester was running back kicks and punts, Johnson was starring for the Houston Texans. He made seven Pro Bowls and earned two First Team All-Pro selections during his career, which went from 2003-16. That came after a standout career at Miami, where he helped the Hurricanes to a national title in 2001 and was a third team All-American the next year as a senior.

“It means a lot,” Johnson said in a Thursday Night Football interview, via the Texans’ website. “Not only for me and my family back home where I grew up in Miami. A lot of people that have been along with me throughout this journey in the City of Houston, who have embraced me and shown me so much love.”

The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony is coming up Saturday at noon ET. It will be broadcast on ESPN.