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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s sixth season in the league.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, man, it\u2019s obviously a blessing,\u201d Gilman said. \u201cThe more years I\u2019ve gotten into it, the more I have found myself taking more time to reflect and be present. So going into year six, I\u2019m as present as I can be, just trying to enjoy every moment. Every step. This is a dream of mine, a kid\u2019s dream, and I\u2019m living it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Gilman, tapping into the joy of the game keeps him motivated.<\/p>\n
\u201cYear six, it\u2019s a special year. And I feel it, and it\u2019s just a blessing,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery day I try to take in when I\u2019m out on the field. I feel like a kid. I feel like I\u2019m 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\u2019m able to express myself on that field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilman said he often thinks back to his early days in Hawai\u2018i. Which allows him to wear a smile as bright as the Chargers uniforms.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m playing a kid\u2019s game. So I just try to take that with me,\u201d he said. \u201cI 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\u2019m at now. It\u2019s definitely a blessing for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Chargers and Lions will square off Thursday at 2 p.m. HST, with the game televised nationally on NBC.<\/p>\n
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