No special team’s player has ever been enshrined in the pro-football Hall of Fame, but Devin Hester’s statistics may warrant some consideration. Hester is the most explosive special team player in the history of the NFL and holds plenty of records in that category:

• Combined Special Teams return touchdowns, career: 18 (12 punts, 5 kickoffs, 1 missed field goal)

• Punt Return touchdowns, career: 12

• Punt Return touchdowns, season: 4 (2007)

• Kickoff Return touchdowns, game: 2 (at St. Louis Rams December 11, 2006

• Combined kick return touchdowns, season: 6 (2007; 4 punts, 2 kickoffs)

• Combined kick return touchdowns, rookie, season: 5 (2006; 3 punts, 2 kickoffs)

• Non-offensive touchdowns, season: 6, twice

***Hester also holds 6 Chicago Bears return records including longest play, a 108 yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the New York Giants in 2006.

It would be impossible to argue that Hester is not a game changer; as well as it would be impossible to argue that he is not the best return specialist in the history of the NFL. The question that remains is whether or not a specialty player deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame. Hester could be the player that opens the door for returners and punters to make it into the Hall.

Ray Guy, considered the best punter in NFL history, has been argued for Hall spot in the past, but has still not broken through. Brian Waters another of the league’s best returners and the person who held the return touchdown record before Hester broke it would potentially have to be looked at as well if Hester was voted in.

The one thing that Hester has at his advantage when talking Hall of Fame is that he has only played in the league since 2006. He could potentially play for another 5-7 or even more years; now it is very likely that his return numbers will continue to decrease the longer he stays in the league, but as long as he keeps returning kicks he is likely to hit on a few. His touchdown numbers will likely increase before he is done playing and he will continue to rack up return yards.

The Hall of Fame is designed to immortalize the greatest players in the history of the league at each position. Now Hester himself would agree he is nowhere near a Hall of Fame caliber wide receiver, but it would be impossible for anyone to say that Hester is not the greatest return specialist in the history of the league. So why would he not deserve a spot in the Hall of Fame? He has done something no one before him has ever done.

He may not be the face of a franchise, but Hester has become a house-hold name and one of the most exciting players in the NFL. If I had any say so I would definitely put a vote in now for Hester to make the Hall of Fame and by the end of his career there will likely be even more reason to do so.