Devin Hester Instagrammed Himself Working Out So It's Time To Say Goodbye To The Best Kick Returner Ever

A video posted by Devin Hester (@devin_anytime_hester_17) on Aug 24, 2016 at 6:49am PDT

Damn, it's too bad it had to come to this. Nothing signals the end of an NFL career quite like a self shot Instagram video of one of most explosive football players ever providing an extensively drawn out buildup before running through a handful of cones. Don't get me wrong, the change in direction is still pretty impressive to me, but the fact that it's being posted on social media in the heart of training camp and mere weeks before the season kicks off is a surefire sign that it's featured act won't be one of the people that's returning those kicks. 

Hey, there is a bright side. Who would have thought it would take until 2016 before we had to bid farewell to someone that was responsible for as many absolutely electric moments as Devin Hester? One trick ponies aren't supposed to last a decade in a sport like football, and that's especially true when that one trick is predicated on their blazing speed and sheer athleticism. By all measures other than his numbers, the most decorated kick/punt returner in history should have been put out to pasture years ago. It's to his credit and for our enjoyment that he wasn't, but - let's be serious - this video would have felt more appropriate if it concluded with him sprinting off into the sunset. I appreciate his persistence, but we've likely seen the end of someone that - at times - provided more offense than his own quarterback. I'll never forget that "here we go" moment when the ball would land in his hands, because it seemed like more often than not it was in the opposition's end zone seconds later.

"You never ask a woman if she's pregnant, you never go for half price sushi, and you NEVER kick to Devin Hester..."