Despite being under an SPF-100 sun and with granules from Aloha Stadium’s artificial turf filling his sneakers, former NFL kicker Nick Lowery was in metaphorical paradise.

Lowery was in Hawaii as a scout for Sunday’s Hula Bowl, and his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, had secured a place in next weekend’s Super Bowl.

“You think about the symmetry of it — 100th year of the NFL, 50th year since we won the Super Bowl,” said Lowery, who ended his 14 seasons with the Chiefs as their career scoring leader. “All those years of paying the price, and the sweat of the offseason and during the season, and overcoming injuries, disappointments, failures … making the Super Bowl completes something, like (after) unrequited love. Now we have to win to really complete it.”

At the time when Lowery retired in 1996, he was the most accurate place-kicker and converted the most field goals in NFL history. After that, he maintained ties with the Chiefs. During Friday’s Hula Bowl practice, he wore a polo shirt given to distinguished former Chiefs and a cleat-shaped medallion with the Kansas City logo.

It was during his pro career Lowery developed a fondness for Hawaii, where he has visited more than 50 times, including three Pro Bowl appearances. Three players who grew up in Hawaii were on the Chiefs’ 1980 roster. Paul Dombroski was a rookie that season. Arnold Morgado was a blocking back. Kale Ane, now Punahou’s head coach, was Lowery’s long snapper.

“We had all those guys from Hawaii,” Lowery said. “It was awesome. There’s a lot of talent in Honolulu.”

Lowery said one of his best memories was playing in the 1981 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. It was during the third quarter when Lowery approached linebacker Ted Hendricks of the Oakland Raiders.

“He’s 6-foot-7, and his nickname is the ‘Mad Stork,’ as you might know,” Lowery said. “We’re in the middle of a football game, he was so mellow, like he’d been smoking a joint or something. He said, ‘I think I’ve got to make a play.’ … The very first play, he intercepted the ball.”

Later in that game, it was 13-all when Lowery was setting up for the game-winning kick. He then was approached by linebacker Jack Lambert, one of the game’s fiercest players.

Lowery recalled: “Jack Lambert comes up to me. He called me ‘Rookie’ — I was 24 at that point — and said, ‘We make $10,000 if you make this kick and $5,000 if you don’t. Please make this kick or I’ll rip your frickin’ head off.’ So, I made the kick.”

During Hula Bowl practice, Lowery dispenses advice, sharing his own experience in perseverance.

“I was cut by eight teams 11 times,” Lowery said. “My 12th time, I made it, and played 18 years (in the NFL).”