Chiefs Got Poetic Locker-Room Fit With Alohi Gilman

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – If thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to habits, habits lead to character and character leads to destiny, Ralph Waldo Emerson could play strong safety for the Chiefs.

Instead, Steve Spagnuolo and the Chiefs signed Alohi Gilman.

“Been trying to figure out what he's been doing for a while now, on my own,” Gilman said at his introductory press conference March 12. “Any positions. You want me to hold the tee, I'll hold the tee. I'll do anything.

“So, I just try to go out there and play ball. And I feel like I could do anything on the field. So, excited to be a part of it and help this team win.”

spagnuol — Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Poetic fit for Chiefs

That perspective and approach will fit perfectly into the Chiefs’ locker room and culture. Gilman, who signed a three-year, $24.75 million contract to take the reins of the Kansas City secondary, follows in the footsteps of Bryan Cook, Justin Reid and Tyrann Mathieu.

All those safeties played vital roles in aligning the back end of Spagnuolo’s calls since the defensive coordinator arrived in 2019. And since he arrived in 2019, Spagnuolo had his first opportunity to really dive into film and research the type of safety he wanted before making recommendations to Brett Veach. The Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time in 11 years, so Spagnuolo made those recommendations count.

mathie — Jan 30, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs free safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) celebrates during the second half of the AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Character was important in replacing Cook, but whether Gilman can match the intensity and production of those three predecessors is an important question for the Chiefs. He’s coming off the most unique season of his six-year career, traded Oct. 8 from the Chargers to Ravens.

Ironically, the player the Chargers acquired in that trade, Odafe Oweh, posted two sacks and another tackle for loss in a 16-13 win at Kansas City in Week 15. But the Chargers didn’t re-sign Oweh, and he joined Leo Chenal and Charles Omenihu in Washington.

Warrior in Chiefs' secondary

The Ravens didn’t re-sign Gilman, either. Despite hiring his former defensive coordinator as head coach, Jesse Minter, Baltimore let him land with its AFC rival. Gilman, who used the word warrior three times during a short press conference, would suit up this weekend if the Chiefs asked him.

“Just being a glue guy coming in,” Gilman said, describing his strategy for creating chemistry with teammates in Kansas City, “building my trust with them, first and foremost. So, you don't come into a building and just take over … Trust is earned. It's respected.

“I’ve been through some good locker rooms, some good secondary groups, and I think that's kind of another superpower of mine, just coming in, being a guy, being a player, a teammate, a warrior out there with your guys and finding ways to help them get better.”

Getting better is music to Andy Reid’s ears. The Chiefs were fish out of water sitting in their living rooms while watching playoff games in January, and the head coach is betting on players like Gilman to get them back. Whether Gilman can produce on the field is to be determined, but the Chiefs did their homework on his character.

The poster player for what Chiefs wanted

Reid might as well have been holding a visual aid of Gilman when the head coach described the types of players the Chiefs were looking to add.

“You got to come in with the right attitude, for sure,” Reid said Feb. 20. “Again, that's, that's a big part of this thing. And there is a fit, literally. There's a certain expectation that we've got. We didn't reach that this past year. So, it's important that we take care of business, from a coaching standpoint, from an organizational standpoint, whether it's personnel or front office, and make sure we keep the expectations high and aggressive.

“And then make sure we bring in the right people to be able to do that and handle it. And so, that's a fit you're talking about. That's what we're working through.”