MIAMI GARDENS — The joyous first day of school comes this week for the Miami Dolphins. Actually, you could say it’s been the first day of school for the past few days because there have been so many highly anticipated occasions to mark.

Rookies reported to training camp last week. Veterans reported Tuesday. The first practice is Wednesday. The Dolphins, under the new leadership of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley, have their first practice open to fans on Sunday.

Just as it happens with every training camp and every first day of school, optimism, hope and excitement fill the air for the Dolphins.

“It is like the first day of school,” quarterback Malik Willis said of players being together again. “It’s the first time we get back and see all our buddies, all our co-workers.”

I’m excited to see how this season unfolds. New beginnings have that effect on me.

Coaches and players are excited, too. 

“So excited,” Hafley said. “It’s real football. The pads will eventually come on. You’re not just gearing up for (organized team activities), you’re gearing up to play in real football games. So there’s a level of urgency, there’s a level of excitement. It’s what we love to do and it’s why we do it. So I can’t wait, and it’s good to be back in the building.”

Obviously, this is a rebuild. But a word of warning before we proceed, understand that “rebuild” is akin to a four-letter word in these parts. No one affiliated with the Dolphins uses that term. No one. Not Sullivan, not Hafley, not Willis and not linebacker Jordyn Brooks.

“People can say it’s a rebuild,” Brooks said. “I don’t look at it as a rebuild because I’m in it, and I play the game.”

To the rest of us, this is a rebuild. And my point to fans is to have reasonable expectations. If you’re hoping for, say, eight or 10 wins this season you’re most likely going to be disappointed or frustrated.

To keep this season in perspective, think about where and what you want your team to be in one or two years. That’s what this 2026 Miami Dolphins season is about, laying a solid, winning foundation. Making sure that you have a good front office. Good coaching. Tough, smart, athletic players who soon will be fighting for a playoff berth.

To me, that’s what would make this a successful season for the Dolphins.

Others have different opinions.

Brooks, who I respect greatly, said success is subjective.

“In football terms,” he said, “I think what will make us successful is winning our division, owning our division, and getting a playoff berth, winning playoff games, making it to the Super Bowl, doing the things that nobody here thinks we can do. And so, in my opinion, that’s what will make us successful.”

Considering Las Vegas bookmakers have the Dolphins over/under win total at 4.5 victories, you could say Brooks has lofty ambitions.

But, hey, it’s the start of training camp, a time to dream big.

The start of training camp marks a new beginning. It’s a time to sell hope.

I’m a buyer for the Dolphins, for many reasons.

I like the fact that they have a winning mentality. They’re not hoping to finish 2-15 and get the No. 1 pick in the draft. They’re trying to win.

I’m buying the hope because of the straight talk from Sullivan, Hafley and the players. I’m buying the hope because of the philosophy of being strong in the trenches and the idea of running the ball with authority.

Yes, I’m excited about the Dolphins season. I’m excited about the Dolphins rebuild. Better days are ahead, and this will be fun to watch.

OK, it won’t be fun in the sense of “Miami 70, Denver 20.” And, no, it won’t be fun in the sense of having a MVP candidate or the league’s No. 1 offense or being hyped on national TV all the time.

But remember, that was pyrite. It was fool’s gold.

Things are different under Sullivan and Hafley. Things are more real, more substantive.

I can’t guarantee any of this hope/optimism will result in one or more playoff victories over the next few years.

But I’m eager to see every step of this rebuild. You get the feeling it’ll lead to something meaningful.

My big hope for this year is seeing growth and development from players, and seeing players display respect for the game and each other (showing up to players-only meetings, showing up on time for team meetings, etc…). I’m fairly certain that you’ll see players more interested in team goals rather than financial goals. 

To me, that’s fun. It’s fun because it’s genuine football. It’s fun because it involves sincere effort. These are elements that lead to big-picture success.

Training camp is the start of all of that, and that’s why folks in Dolphinsland are excited. And it’s why I’m excited, too.