The Kansas City Chiefs added a new safety to their roster earlier in March. The 28-year-old Alohi Gilman was a sixth-round pick, 186th overall, in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. With the Chiefs, Gilman signed a three-year contract worth $24.75 million.

During Gilman's introductory Zoom press conference, he spoke about adjusting to working under Steve Spagnuolo and praised the Kansas City Chiefs' defensive coordinator for the complexity of his system.

He said he has “a lot of respect for Spags” and the way he has built layers into his defensive schemes throughout his long coaching career.

Gilman added that the biggest adjustment has been “the depth and the detail” of the defense, along with the many “little nuances” in the scheme.

While he noted that he has seen most coverages during his time in the NFL, he said Spagnuolo’s approach stands out because of how detailed it is, adding that “it makes it fun for me.”

Gilman was with the Chargers for five seasons before being traded at the beginning of the sixth season (October, 2025) to the Baltimore Ravens along with a 2026 fifth-round pick, in exchange for DE Odafe Oweh and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

During his time with the Chargers, he played in 73 games, starting 39 and recording 252 tackles (162 solo) with three tackles for loss, and 21 pass deflections. While last year with the Ravens, he recorded 68 tackles (39 solo) with one tackle for loss and six pass deflections, according to Pro Football Reference.

Alohi Gilman on His Approach to Learning Spagnuolo's Defensive System

In the same press conference, Gilman said he is approaching the new defensive system with a “blank slate” mindset and focusing on learning everything step by step.

He explained that the scheme has a much heavier volume than what he has previously experienced, which has required extra study time and patience during the adjustment period.

Gilman acknowledged he has already made “a bunch” of mistakes while learning the defense, but added that he will continue to improve and “keep stacking” progress every day.

He added, “This is probably the best group of, in terms of staff, teachers that I’ve been around.”

Gilman is currently acclimating to the Chiefs' culture and Spagnuolo's defensive philosophy. His press conference remarks highlight the difficulty of the scheme and his commitment to growth.

What are your thoughts on Steve Spagnuolo's defense? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Aaindri Thakuri

Edited by

Rudra Dubey