With the first weekend of NFL training camps in the books, the league shifts into preseason mode this week, beginning with the annual Hall of Fame Game.

On Thursday, Kahuku graduate Alohi Gilman and the Los Angeles Chargers will face the Detroit Lions in Canton, Ohio, to kick off the 2025 preseason. The matchup marks the start of Gilman’s sixth season in the league.

Gilman, a starting safety, has appeared in 67 career games, recording 225 tackles and forcing 13 turnovers. Entering his sixth year with the Chargers, the former Cover2 Defensive Player of the Year finalist says he is embracing every moment of his career.

“Yeah, man, it’s obviously a blessing,” Gilman said. “The more years I’ve gotten into it, the more I have found myself taking more time to reflect and be present. So going into year six, I’m as present as I can be, just trying to enjoy every moment. Every step. This is a dream of mine, a kid’s dream, and I’m living it.”

For Gilman, tapping into the joy of the game keeps him motivated.

“Year six, it’s a special year. And I feel it, and it’s just a blessing,” he said. “Every day I try to take in when I’m out on the field. I feel like a kid. I feel like I’m at Laie Park, you know, on a small little town playing the game that I love. The more I tap into that, the more my passions come out, the more I’m able to express myself on that field.”

Gilman said he often thinks back to his early days in Hawai‘i. Which allows him to wear a smile as bright as the Chargers uniforms.

“I’m playing a kid’s game. So I just try to take that with me,” he said. “I remember myself as that little kid playing at Laie Park, running around, playing at the old Aloha Stadium in high school, and just taking in all those moments and bringing it to where I’m at now. It’s definitely a blessing for me.”

The Chargers and Lions will square off Thursday at 2 p.m. HST, with the game televised nationally on NBC.

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