For the first time since the January 2025 wildfires, Palisades High School football returned to its home campus for a regular-season game, and the Los Angeles Chargers were there to help celebrate the moment.
Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley joined the Palisades football team on campus for its home opener against Crenshaw on August 21, marking the first time the Dolphins had played a game on their home campus since the fires devastated the Palisades community.
The game, dubbed "Palisades Pride," represented a significant milestone for the football program and the community after the team spent the previous season navigating a constantly changing schedule of practice and game locations following the loss of its home field.
In the immediate aftermath of the fires, even the future of the football program was uncertain. The team had lost its home stadium and significant athletic facilities and equipment, while players and families were dealing with the broader devastation throughout the Palisades community. With the school campus closed, the football team became a nomadic program of sorts, practicing at different parks, schools and college facilities across the Westside while searching for places to train and eventually play its games.
The uncertainty extended throughout the offseason and into the fall. The program practiced at multiple locations, including Santa Monica College, as it worked to maintain a sense of routine for its players. The school had initially indicated that football games would be played away from campus until further notice, making the eventual return to Palisades an especially meaningful moment for the program.
Through all of it, head coach Dylen Smith remained committed to keeping the program together. Practices became an important source of routine and connection for players, many of whom were also dealing with the loss or displacement of their homes. Despite the challenges, Palisades continued to field a team and ultimately finished the regular season undefeated.
The Chargers have remained closely connected to the Palisades football program throughout that journey.
Immediately following the fires, the Chargers welcomed the team to The Bolt, providing new gear and an opportunity for the players to work out in the Chargers' weight room and on the field alongside the team's performance staff, including Executive Director of Player Performance Ben Herbert. Following the visit, the Chargers Impact Fund and NFL Foundation gifted the program $50,000 to help purchase new field equipment and support other needs as the team prepared for the season.
The Chargers later hosted Palisades' final regular-season game at SoFi Stadium, giving the school an opportunity to celebrate Senior Day for its football players, cheer, dance and band. Chargers players Quentin Johnston and Denzel Perryman joined the team before the game and served as honorary captains, while all ticket proceeds were donated back to the Palisades football program.
The Chargers also continued to recognize the leadership of head coach Dylen Smith. Smith was selected as the Chargers' nominee for the Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award and ultimately went on to be named the AFC winner. As part of the recognition, Smith received a $10,000 cash prize and an additional $15,000 grant for the Palisades football program.
After a year spent practicing and competing wherever the program could find a place, the Dolphins finally returned to their own campus.
Henley spent time with the team and helped celebrate the return home, while the Chargers provided Palisades-specific giveaways for the student section and fans throughout the game.
After a year defined by uncertainty and change, the "Palisades Pride" home opener offered something the program had been waiting for: football at home, in front of its community, on its own campus.
