Trey McBride has five-word response to mammoth Arizona Cardinals deal

The Arizona Cardinals have put their faith in tight end Trey McBride by offering him a record extension, and the 25-year-old is feeling great about his future with the organization.

On Thursday, the Cardinals announced that McBride had agreed to terms on a four-year, $76 million extension with a reported $43 million in guaranteed money.

The new deal makes his average annual salary $19 million, placing him clear of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce , who was the previous record holder with $17.125 million per year .

McBride has developed a strong connection with quarterback Kyler Murray , and the Cardinals signal caller wrote on X: "Maaaaan! So happy for my dawg, worth every penny! More work to be done but a great day." McBride replied: "LFG! Going to be special." The Cardinals drafted McBride in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Colorado State, though, the tight end never expected to reach the league.

"It was never on the forefront of my mind," McBride said .

"I was never convinced." Growing up in Fort Morgan, Colorado, McBride was an incredible athlete and excelled at baseball, basketball, and football in high school.

McBride holds records at Fort Morgan High School for points scored in basketball, as well as for career home runs and runs batted in baseball, but football was his passion.

That being said, he never expected things to turn out the way they have.

"Coming from where we grew up, people didn't go to college and play football," McBride said.

"That wasn't a thing.

I excelled in every sport and didn't think about (college).

I just wanted to be the best at whatever sport that was going on." McBride accepted a scholarship offer from Colorado State and was considered a three-star recruit, but by the time he declared for the NFL Draft, he'd set multiple school records.

In 2021, McBride broke the record for most receptions and receiving yards by a tight end in a single season with 90 receptions for 1,121 yards.

The tight end also played alongside his brother, Toby McBride, who was a defensive end on the football program, but he never made it to the NFL.

Toby was a state champion in wrestling on three occasions, but always knew that Trey carried the football gene.

As a rookie in Arizona, McBride appeared in 16 games and started 13, finishing the season with 29 receptions for 265 receiving yards and one touchdown, which was scored in Week 17 in a 20-19 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

McBride then enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2023, and in Week 10, became the first Cardinals tight end to receive 100 or more yards in a game since Rob Awalt in 1989.

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McBride finished that season with 81 receptions for 825 yards and three touchdowns, and continued the momentum in 2024.

Although McBride only scored two touchdowns, he had 111 receptions for 1,146 yards and established himself as one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

After completing his third season, McBride was eligible for an extension, and the Cardinals wasted no time when it came to negotiations.

McBride became the first Cardinals tight end since Hall of Famer Jackie Smith to make the Pro Bowl roster, ending a 55-year drought.

McBride may be coming off his best season and continues on an upward trend, but Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes that this is just the start of his progression.

"He had a really good year but he hasn't hit his ceiling," Gannon said at the Scouting combine.

"He's working on different parts of his game, but he needs to keep doing what he's doing.

He's not a one-trick pony.".

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