LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. The Bears confirmed Thursday that they are parting ways with the three-time Pro Bowl pick after eight seasons, confirming what he told the NFL Network the previous day. So instead of a return to Chicago, hell hit the market as a free agent. General manager Phil Emery said it had been an honour to have Hester on the team. "While Devin has redefined the pinnacle standard of the return position in the NFL, the memories and contributions he has given us cannot be measured by stats or numbers," he said. "Not only is Devin a special player, he is also an exceptional person. He is a great teammate, husband and father. Devin represented the organization off-the-field as well as he did on it. When his career is over, he will always be a welcome member of the Bears family." Hester matched Hall of Famer Deion Sanders NFL record with his 19th return touchdown last season, tying his friend and mentor with an 81-yard punt return at Washington in October. It was Hesters 13th punt return for a TD, extending his own record in that category. He has also returned five kickoffs and a missed field goal for a touchdown. Hester is best remembered by Bears fans for returning the opening kickoff in the 2007 Super Bowl for a touchdown. He ran it back 92 yards for a score in a game won by Indianapolis. Hester endured several lulls on returns during his career, particularly when the Bears tried to make him a receiver. But he showed some of his old form while focusing solely on returns last season. Hes the second Bears star to leave the team in as many years: Last May, linebacker Brian Urlacher announced his retirement after 13 seasons, all with the Bears. The eight-time Pro Bowler and the team were unable to reach a deal a year ago and he eventually decided to call it quits. Richie Zisk Jersey . They actually finished with a better record in ‘07 than they did in ‘06 but only marginally, going from 61 victories to 66. Alex Rodriguez Jersey . - Young and old. https://www.cheapmariners.com/2015k-just...y-mariners.html. The redshirt freshman finished the regular season with nearly 3,500 passing yards, and 35 touchdowns with another three on the ground while leading the Seminoles to the top of the BCS Rankings. Harold Reynolds Jersey . Toronto FC hosts the three-time Italian league champions in a friendly Aug. 7 at BMO Field, a game that Roma CEO Italo Zanzi said falls within a key part of their pre-season. Dave Henderson Jersey . After missing 20 games as a rookie a year ago, Valanciunas - like the Raptors as a whole - has been fortunate to be in good health this season. As he spoke about it, the Raptors sophomore centre scanned the room for wood to knock on. "It is disappointing because we lost today so thats the worst part of the day," said Valanciunas, who left Tuesdays game with a lower-back sprain in the third quarter, missing the rest of Torontos 118-113 overtime defeat at the hands of the Hawks.SAINT JOHN, N.B. - The Swiss were as surprised as anyone else by their gold-medal victory at the 2014 Ford Womens World Curling Championship. Binia Feltschers inexperienced Flims Curling Club foursome upset Canadas Rachel Homan 9-5 in Sundays final at Harbour Station. "Im speechless. Its like dream. Its awesome," Swiss third Irene Schori said. "We were very relaxed. We had nothing to lose and they were under pressure. "We are surprised. We did a great job the whole season, but we never thought we could win a medal at the world championship." Its Switzerlands second womens world title in three years after Mirjam Ott won it in Lethbridge, Alta., in 2012. Feltscher won an Olympic silver medal in 2006 playing third for Ott, but Schori, second Franziska Kaufmann and lead Christine Urech made their world championship debuts in Saint John. It was a deflating end for Canadas Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle out of the Ottawa Curling Club. The host country boasted an 11-1 tournament record going into Sundays final, but a devastating eighth end cost Canada. Leading 5-3 after seven, the Swiss scored three points on Canadian mistakes and Homan couldnt recover. More errors in the ninth forced Homan into a low percentage angle raise double takeout with her final throw. The Canadian skip missed and gave up a steal of three for the first time in the tournament. Down four points coming home, even a team as potent with the hammer as Homans had been couldnt generate four points. "Im disappointed we didnt finish off that last game," a stoic Homan said. "We had a really good week. "The whole game we just werent quite making the shots we needed to make." Homan went undefeated to win a second Canadian championship and earn a return trip to the world championship. The skip missed her last shot of the semifinal in Riga, Latvia, last year to give up the steal of a point and the win to eventual champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland. The Canadians settled for bronze in Riga and came to Saint John bent on moving two steps up the podium, not one. Muirhead opted to focus on the Winter Olympics in Sochi instead of participating in playdowns for this world championship. Canadas lone loss of the preliminary round was to Switzerland on Day 2. With runbacks and raises, Homan drained the Swiss of their offence in Fridays playoff game between the tournaments top two seeds. The Swiss felt no weight of expectations and Canada did. "A silver medal is still an improvement from the bronze last year," Kreviazuk said. "We worked so hard this year. It feels good to come out of this with at least a medal. "Tomorrow were going to look at the silver and be a lot happier. Right now, its a little tough to swallow. Im still proud and happy. I know I will be tomorrow." Winnipegs Jennifer Jones went undefeated in Sochi to claim Olympic womens curling gold last month, but Canada hasnt won a world womens title since Jones in 2008 in Vernon, B.C. Homan and Miskew led in shooting percentages at their position prior to the final, but shot 61 and 63 per cent, respectively Sunday. "They just made more mistakes than they usually make," Feltscher said through an interpreter. In the eighth end, Kreviazuk needed to put her draw on the top of the four-foot rings, but her stone stayed top 12. Miskews draw was heeavy and Homan missed a freeze with her first shot of the end.dddddddddddd She threw big weight to chip off one of her own stones to the button and missed, leaving Feltscher with a draw for three. "I thought I stuck it for shot and it just kept spinning," Homan said. The future of Homans team in Canadian curling remains bright if they continue on together as a team. Weagle, who turns 29 on Monday, is getting married in July. Her teammates are all 25 or under and in the early stages of their careers after earning their university degrees. The South Koreans, Chinese and Russians are full-time, paid athletes. The federations focus on a chosen few because those countries dont have Canadas depth. Canada determines its international representatives via the natural selection of regional, provincial and national playdowns. Qualifying for Canadas 2017 trials requires travelling to World Curling Tour events across Canada throughout the winter to earn ranking points. Thats a difficult commitment when juggling careers and families. "Its not a discussion weve had, but I cant see the girls backing down anytime soon," Kreviazuk said. "Youll probably see a lot of us." Kelly Scott, winner of the womens world title in 2007, recently announced her team is disbanding. "At this point, all the ladies are assessing where curling fits into their busy lives; complete with careers and young families," Scott said in a statement. Jones, 39, has a young daughter. It is unclear at this point if she wants to commit to another Olympic quadrennial. Earle Morris, who had a cult following at Harbour Station, has coached Homan for the better part of the last decade. He wasnt certain he would be coaching them next season because he too may take a break. "I think they will have a great future," Morris said. "The problem with curling and stereotypically with women is life gets in the way. We just have to hope thats not going to happen with this team. It would be hard to replace anybody on this team in their position. "Your motivation, suddenly its not the most important thing in the world when you have a little baby to worry about or a family to raise or work commitments. It is a challenge for women more so than men in that regard." Anna Sidorova claimed the first womens world curling championship medal for Russia by scoring two in the 10th and stealing one in an extra end in a 7-6 win over South Koreas Ji-sun Kim. "I just dont have enough words to describe my feelings," said Sidorova, who went 3-6 in Sochi. "Now Im pretty sure we are able to play at a really high level and were able to beat everybody. We just need to execute well and believe in ourselves sometimes." Albertas Kevin Koe won the Tim Hortons Brier and will represent Canada at the mens world championship Saturday to April 6 in Beijing. The 2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held in Moose Jaw, Sask., and Sapporo, Japan will be the host of next years womens world championship. Saint John drew approximately 44,000 people to Harbour Station for the nine-day event. The last world curling championship at Harbour Station in 1999 drew 96,000 when it combined both mens and womens events. Since they were split into two separate events in 2005, Grande Prairie, Alta., holds the attendance record for the womens event at 60,000 the following year. ' ' '