Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers criticized Chicago Bears kick returner Devin Hester, saying the two-time Pro Bowl pick was running scared.

"It looks like he's afraid to run back kickoffs," Sayers told the Chicago Tribune.

Sayers returned six kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns in his first three years. Hester returned 12 kicks for touchdowns in his first two seasons. Now Hester's approach confuses Sayers.

"He's running everything up the middle," he said. "[The Bears return team] might have a middle return on, but if every [defender] is going to the middle, he has enough speed to go outside. He's not doing it. He's running straight up the field and everybody is tackling him. He looks like he's afraid to go out on his own.

"A couple of times the other team would kick to the right and [Hester] would run to the right and run out of bounds. It's like he doesn't want to run the kickoffs back. Run to the left. … You have the whole field!"

Hester signed an incentive-laden four-year contract extension last summer believed to be worth up to $30 million with $15 million guaranteed. Much of the money depends on his performance at wide receiver. Asked if that means Hester might be trying to preserve himself on kick returns to achieve his contract goals as a receiver, Sayers said, "I hope he doesn't think that way."

Sayers also wonders if the added hits Hester is taking as a wide receiver have made him tentative on returns.

"I was not worried about getting hurt," Sayers said. "Does that have anything to do with him as a return player now because he takes the hard shots? Maybe he doesn't like getting hit. … I don't know.

"It looks to me like he needs to go out on his own like he did the first year. He still has the speed and everything. But he's not taking a chance like he did. You have to take a chance."

Danieal Manning replaced Hester on kickoff returns during last Sunday's game in Green Bay. Coach Lovie Smith has not disclosed whether Hester or Manning will do so Sunday.

"I just think [Hester] should return the ball and not try to be cute around the [Bears'] goal line." Sayers said. "Get the ball and run. He can break away."

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