1 week Ago By Andrew Gamble
The photo on Trey McBride’s Wikipedia article shows him flexing in a Fort Morgan High School basketball jersey. It’s fitting for McBride, who starred on the court as well as the baseball diamond before settling on football . The record books at Fort Morgan were re-written by the supremely athletic McBride.
The 22-year-old holds the school's career records for points scored in basketball , as well as for career home runs and runs batted in in baseball . And yet, he was better at football, establishing himself as an intriguing tight end prospect at Colorado State after playing both ways in high school. Three seasons into his NFL career, McBride has become the highest-paid tight end in league history after inking a four-year deal worth $76 million .
He’s now re-writing the history books in the pros. Following a relatively quiet rookie campaign, McBride has dominated over the last two seasons. He truly became one of the premier tight ends in the NFL in 2024, hauling in 111 catches for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns as his connection with Kyler Murray became a route the Arizona Cardinals offense regularly frequented to move the ball downfield.
Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft , is often the target of criticism for a variety of reasons, be it inconsistent play, missed time, or questions surrounding his maturity and leadership. But McBride is having none of it.
“Kyler is a real leader,” McBride exclusively told Mirror U.S. Sports .
“It’s tough to see the criticism he has received, because people don’t see how hard he works and how great he is in the locker room. “I think it’s unfair. He leads our team perfectly.
He understands the game and what it takes to be great and have success. I feel like we’re moving in the right direction, and Kyler is leading that and growing with us, so I’m excited for what we can do as a team and as an offense in 2025.” McBride insisted Murray did not give him any flak as he somehow didn’t get into the endzone until Week 17, and could only talk highly of the quarterback’s willingness to help bond and work with his teammates on offense.
The duo struck an immediate bond after the Cardinals used their 2022 second-round selection on McBride, thanks to their shared baseball background. McBride is confident that Murray’s spiral and passing motion are aided by his former days playing and starring in baseball; he claimed the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft’s passes are “as smooth as butter.
” But one moment truly stands out to McBride when he reflects on his quarterback. “When I got drafted, Kyler messaged me saying he was excited to work together,” McBride recalled. “I don’t know how he got my number, but he didn’t need to go out of his way to do that.
Our relationship has been awesome ever since. He helped me settle into the team and the offense really well, and we’ve really bonded to make sure our connection on the field is as strong as possible. We’re tight.
He’s played a key role in my career and development so far, and I hope that continues.” Despite being so early in his career, McBride is now among the best in the NFL and is prepared to carry the torch for tight ends moving forward. Travis Kelce is the standard-bearer for the tight end position these days, following in the footsteps of the likes of Rob Gronkowski , Antonio Gates, and fellow Chiefs icon Tony Gonzalez.
McBride harbors a lot of respect for Kelce, who he surpassed as the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. While he appears ready to tread the journey required, the 25-year-old understands he has a long way to go. “He’s one of the greats,” McBride said.
“To do what he’s been doing for so long, you have to be a special player but you also have to put the work in and make sure nothing goes to waste. Every tight end wants to catch passes and score touchdowns and help the team like Travis has. He’s done so much for the position, and will go down in history as one of the best to ever do it.
“If I can catch touchdowns and help my team win the Super Bowl, I’ll be happy. Travis has done that like three times, so I’ve got a long way to go.” EA SPORTS Madden 25 available now on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
