When has a players-only meeting ever worked? Dolphins players admitted this past week that they called one to regroup from their Week 1 stomping in Indianapolis ahead of their matchup with the Patriots.

Talk about a vibe shift. Two years ago, Miami punctuated the first month of the season by hanging 70 on Sean Payton’s Broncos. Now, they’re holding meetings to keep things from slipping before Week 2 even kicks off.

There’s clearly been some cultural issues dating back to last season. One example: After the Dolphins’ final game of the 2024 season, a frustrated Tyreek Hill didn’t hold back. “I’m out, bruh. It was great playing here but at the end of the day, I have to do what’s best for my career,” he told reporters.

Not exactly the kind of exit interview Miami was hoping for.

His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, quickly went into cleanup mode, saying Hill was still committed to the team. And about a month later, Hill himself apologized for the outburst. But the words stuck. When 2025 rolled around, for the first time since joining the Dolphins, Hill wasn’t voted a captain.

As for what’s next? I was told the Dolphins don’t have any plans right now to trade Hill. This team needs to win, and Tua Tagovailoa needs Hill to make the offense explosive again. The receiver is also currently being investigated by the NFL over allegations of domestic abuse. But if the losses pile up, expect the phones to ring in Miami.

And if you’re wondering whether Brett Veach, the always-savvy GM in Kansas City, might be tempted to pick up the phone and arrange a reunion with his former star receiver, I’m told the focus for now is on getting Xavier Worthy healthy as the Chiefs await the return of Rashee Rice from a six-game suspension.

While we’re talking about big-time receivers teams could sniff around before the trade deadline in early November, Philly’s A.J. Brown, who had a quiet Week 1, drew some interest months ago.

But teams poking around during the offseason were told by Eagles GM Howie Roseman flat-out: No dice.

We’ll see if anything changes in the coming weeks as we again monitor Brown’s connection with Jalen Hurts.