PHX Reporter

Trey McBride, the Pro Bowl tight end for the Arizona Cardinals, has secured a four-year contract extension after a successful season. This extension binds the 25-year-old player to the Cardinals until the end of the 2029 season. McBride, a second-round draft pick in 2022, has signed a contract reportedly worth $43 million in guarantees, raising his average annual salary to $19 million. This makes him the highest-paid player at his position.

Reflecting on his early days in Fort Morgan, Colorado, McBride said, "It was never on the forefront of my mind. I was never convinced." Yet, despite his initial doubts about reaching the NFL, McBride's performance has excelled since his Pro Bowl season, finishing with 111 receptions for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns last season.

McBride expressed a desire to be part of "the next wave" of tight ends, alongside players like Sam LaPorta and Jake Ferguson. "I still feel no one really knows about me," he remarked before the season began, despite his achievements.

Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon commented on McBride's potential, saying, "He had a really good year but he hasn't hit his ceiling. 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."

Early on in his career, McBride joined the team under some pressure, being chosen as the top pick in his draft year after the team traded its first-round pick to Baltimore. In his sophomore season, McBride set a new team record for receptions by a tight end with 81 catches, aided by the unfortunate knee injury to teammate Zach Ertz and the recovery of quarterback Kyler Murray.

###