Chicago Bears wide receiver and former UM star Devin Hester is starring in an ad for Under Armour’s new “Mission” campaign to promote the company’s new UA Fierce cleats.

The fast-paced commercial, which debuts during tonight’s broadcast of the 2009 ESPYs of which Under Armour is a presenting sponsor, is filmed from Hester’s point of view. It’s a day in his life – his waking up, visiting with Deion Sanders, signing autographs at Sports Authority, throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley Field and working out at Soldier Field. At the beginning, it isn’t entirely clear who the viewer is following, but the ad offers clues along the way.

“It’s pretty strange, it’s kind of like a mystery, trying to figure out ‘who is this person? Oh OK, they want to keep it like a little secret and then at the end wow, OK,’” said Hester, who is from Riveria Beach.. “I think this is the first commercial where they [Under Armour] featured just one guy. I’m blessed to be the guy to do it. It was very fun, a great opportunity for me."

It’s also the first campaign in which Hester has held the starring role. He and his mother, Juanita Brown, were in one of those “Mama’s Boys” Campbell’s Chunky Soup ads together with other NFL players and their moms two years ago.

Hester said he enjoyed working with Sanders, whom he’s known since college. “Not only is he my idol, he’s more of a big brother, a role model for me. I look up to him. We text message every day, before I wake up I have a message from him. He sends words of encouragement, things to think about, to be happy for waking up, a big word of encouragement to start off your day,” Hester said.

As for UA’s cleats, Hester says they’re made for swift athletes like him. “The UA Fierce is the lightest they’ve made so far. It’s made for speed for players such as myself. You want to wear the lightest cleats as possible.”

Check out the ad here: