National Football League

Hester flagged for high-stepping after breaking Deion Sanders' record

Published Sep. 18, 2014 9:45 p.m. ET

foxsports

How do you celebrate breaking Deion Sanders’ record for touchdown returns? By doing a little high-stepping, of course.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Devin Hester fielded a Tampa Bay punt midway through the second quarter on Thursday night and weaved his way 62 yards for a touchdown, his 20th, breaking the nine-year-old record he shared with Sanders.

Hester was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, but the veteran return man’s celebration couldn’t have been any more appropriate.

Moments after the score, cameras showed an emotional Hester as he was applauded by an enthusiastic crowd at the Georgia Dome.

"It's tough to break the record of the guy who is my No. 1 mentor," said Hester, who was released by the Bears during the offseason and signed a three-year deal with the Falcons. "I'm kind of emotional right now."

Sanders, now a television analyst, was covering the game and showed his appreciation on social media after watching his record fall at the Georgia Dome, which he once proclaimed ''is my house.''

@D_Hest23 like I said is the BEST EVER!! #TRUTH
— DeionSanders (@DeionSanders) September 19, 2014

Check out the play in the video below:

Hester also had a 20-yard touchdown run in the Falcons' 56-14 win. After the game, Hester opened up on the past few seasons in Chicago on NFL Network.

"I wasn’t happy the last three or four years in Chicago because things weren’t going the way I expected,” Hester said. "I would always have a great camp, have all the receivers and coaches saying I had the best camp out of all the receivers and then once the season started, I’m not there. I have a quarterback now who loves even the walk-ons. The coaches know how to get the ball to me and how to make plays for me."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.