Chargers News: Safeties Coach Explains Long History with Ascendant Young Player

LA safeties coach Chris O'Leary recently unpacked his longstanding relationship with one of his new charges.

Oct 16, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Goal posts with the Crucial Catch breast cancer awareness patch. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Newly-hired Los Angeles Chargers safeties coach Chris O'Leary recently unpacked his longstanding relationship with Alohi Gilman. O'Leary and Gilman overlapped for two seasons at Gilman's alma mater, Notre Dame, where O'Leary was also serving as the club's safeties coach.

coach o'leary + alohi go way back 🤞 pic.twitter.com/qKBne8dbNp

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 13, 2024

"Those first two years that I was there, Alohi was in the room as a safety, so any extra work or anything that he needed, I was always around," O'Leary said. "So we built a good relationship when I was there with him."

O'Leary further explained how it feels to be a part of Gilman's journey once again, this time in the pros.

"Special," O'Leary said. "To see Alohi in his element, where now he's going into his fourth or fifth year [it's his fifth year] and becoming an impact player at this level, it's awesome to see him accomplish his dreams and then know that I get to be a big part of him taking that next step."

The 5-foot-10, 201-pound former Fighting Irish mainstay was selected with the No. 186 pick during the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

O'Leary coached at Notre Dame from 2018-23 prior to being added to Jim Harbaugh's staff this offseason.

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