The Miami Dolphins began the 2025 season with a crushing 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. In response, the team held a private players-only meeting, intended to stay behind closed doors. But a surprising leak changed that, and former punter Pat McAfee is here to explain how the news slipped out.

Highlighting the Dolphins’ player-driven discussion on The Pat McAfee Show, former linebacker A.J. Hawk asked, “Why do we know about it.” Host Pat McAfee didn’t hesitate with his reply, “Because somebody had texted Schefter and say Hey, listen, we just had a players-only meeting.” NFL insider Adam Schefter initially reported the confidential session on X. He revealed that the Dolphins held a players-only meeting on their off day to ensure the team remained “on the same page.” With coaches and staff excluded, the leak likely came from within the locker room. Schefter’s reporting points to someone with firsthand knowledge.

Before commenting on the disclosure, McAfee shared his thoughts on the timeline of the meeting, “Whenever a player’s only meeting happens. Normally, there is a call for concern. But when it’s happening after week 1. I don’t even know if it counts as the season starting yet.”

News of the meeting came days after Miami’s season-opening loss, where the offense managed only 211 total yards. QB Tua Tagovailoa threw for just 114 yards, with two interceptions and a lost fumble, marking one of the lowest-rated performances of his career. The disappointing start may have led players to organize their own gathering to regroup and refocus before the season derailed further.

Pat McAfee ended with a pointed remark, “Our standpoint as players who have sat in players’ meetings, boy, if you have a nose, more problems are coming”. He emphasized that the meeting wasn’t just a routine locker-room gathering. From his experience as a player, such meetings often signal deeper unrest. As soon as news of the players-only meeting broke, speculation swirled. The Dolphins later confirmed it, with players and coach Mike McDaniel offering further details.

Dolphins reveal the meeting’s details as the coach addresses it 

Since it was a players-only discussion, head coach Mike McDaniel wasn’t involved, but he referred to it as a meaningful display of leadership within the team. “I think player-led meetings are important. … It is a part of how we do things. What maximizes investment is ownership,” Mike said.

During the meeting, it was the team’s QB Tua Tagovailoa who spoke on behalf of his teammates. The first thing Tua said about the meeting was, “I got the offense together”. He then continued, “We had a meeting about things that we wanted to do to hang our hats on this week, points of emphasis, and how we want to go about it this week.”

While Pat McAfee viewed the meeting as a warning sign of deeper issues, Tua Tagovailoa offered a different perspective, framing it as a constructive step toward team unity. “I thought that that was the cool thing”. LB Jordyn Brooks also had a similar note as he said, “[The meeting was] just kind of making sure that everybody’s together.”

The Dolphins will host the New England Patriots on Sunday before moving to Buffalo to deal with the Bills in Week 3. With such a critical stretch, only time will tell what such a personal meeting will bring out.