Seconds later, he was in the NFL record books with the longest play in league history — an almost unimaginable rambling 108-yard TD return that stunned the San Francisco 49ers and propelled the Chicago Bears to a blustery 17-9 win Sunday.
"I've never really seen it work, but we always feel like we can get big plays like that," Vasher said. "I'm still speechless."
When Joe Nedney's 52-yard attempt was short and wide, Vasher caught the ball over his shoulder, then after his brief hesitation sprinted to the 15, reversed his field with a spin move and picked up a convoy of blockers.
"All the guys start out left. If there's nothing to the left, we always have a lot of field to the right. I just felt like I could outrun a lot of guys at that angle," Vasher said.
Getting blocks down the sideline from Lance Briggs, Chris Harris and Brian Urlacher, Vasher weaved past and through the huffing and puffing 49ers for a 7-3 halftime lead.
"With the field goal team out there, there were no defensive backs or wide receivers," Vasher said. "You're out there with the big boys. I picked up some great blocks from everybody out there."
The previous longest play was Baltimore's Chris McAlister's 107-yarder with a missed field goal in 2002.
Leading 3-0 on a day when wind gusts reaching 47 mph made every flight of the football problematic, why even try a 52-yarder?
"Joe is the strength of our football team. I have a tremendous amount of confidence in him," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. "Joe felt he had the distance, but that time it came a little short."
Vasher returned an interception 71 yards for a TD last season to seal a victory over the 49ers. This one he had trouble believing.
"I was feeling like I was running the 400 meters out there. I just fell into the end zone," Vasher said. "The NFL has been around a long time. For my name to be at the top of that is truly an honor."
Nedney was in no position to make the tackle as a swarm of Bears jerseys — they wore orange Sunday — were rolling down the sideline.
"I saw six orange jerseys in front of him and there is not much I can do in that situation," Nedney said.
The Bears (6-3) have their longest winning streak in a single season since 2001, when they won six in a row en route to a division title
