Trey McBride Bio
Trey McBride (born November 22, 1999) is an American professional football tight end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Colorado State Rams, where he was named a unanimous All-American and the John Mackey Award winner in 2021. McBride was selected by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing about 250 pounds, McBride has quickly developed into one of the most productive tight ends in the league. He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and, in 2025, signed a four-year contract extension worth $76 million with $43 million guaranteed, briefly making him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history at the time of signing.
Early Life and Background
Trey McBride was born on November 22, 1999, in Greeley, Colorado, and grew up in the nearby community of Fort Morgan. He attended Fort Morgan High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete, playing baseball, basketball, and football. His size, hands, and competitive toughness quickly set him apart from his peers, and he became a central figure in the school’s athletic programs.
As a junior, McBride recorded 32 catches for 751 yards and 11 touchdowns and was named Class 3A All-Colorado. He repeated as an All-Colorado selection as a senior after rushing for 226 yards, catching 30 passes for 450 yards, and scoring four total touchdowns, while also playing defense and recording 40 tackles and one sack. Beyond football, McBride holds Fort Morgan’s career records for points scored in basketball and for career home runs and runs batted in in baseball, a sign of his rare overall athletic profile.
Path to Professional Football
Considered a three-star recruit by 247Sports, McBride accepted a scholarship offer from Colorado State over programs including Colorado, California, Kansas State, Navy, Northern Colorado, and Wyoming. The decision allowed him to stay close to home and continue his development as a tight end within a passing offense that valued the position.
As a freshman in 2018, McBride played in all 12 of Colorado State’s games and started five, finishing with seven catches for 89 yards and one touchdown while earning Academic All-Mountain West Conference honors. He became a full-time starter as a sophomore in 2019, when he was named first-team All-Mountain West after posting 45 receptions for 560 yards and four touchdowns. He recorded his first 100-yard receiving game on November 29, 2019, catching nine passes for 101 yards against Boise State.
Trey McBride Career
Early Career (2022)
McBride was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round (55th overall) of the 2022 NFL draft. He made his NFL debut in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders and quickly earned a steady role within the offense. As a rookie, he appeared in 16 games and started 13, showing reliable hands and the blocking toughness that had defined his college profile.
He finished his first professional season with 29 receptions for 265 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. That score came in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons, in a narrow 20–19 loss, marking his first career trip to the end zone and confirming that he belonged at the NFL level.
Breakthrough Seasons (2023–2024)
In 2023, McBride took a major step forward. During Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons, he became the first Cardinals tight end to record 100 or more receiving yards in a game since Rob Awalt in 1989. He finished his second season with 81 receptions for 825 yards and three touchdowns, establishing himself as a central piece of Arizona’s passing game.
The 2024 season cemented his status among the league’s elite tight ends. McBride recorded six receptions for 67 yards and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in a 41–10 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2, then caught all eight of his targets for 96 yards in a 34–13 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 6. He added nine catches for 124 yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8 and rushed for a touchdown in a 29–9 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 9. He closed the year with a career-high 133 receiving yards on 12 receptions against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12, then posted 12 catches for 123 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the season in Week 17 against the Rams. He finished 2024 with 111 receptions for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2022–Present)
After two strong seasons as a focal point of the Cardinals’ offense, McBride entered 2025 as one of the league’s most targeted pass catchers. On April 3, 2025, he signed a four-year contract extension with Arizona worth $76 million, including $43 million guaranteed. At the time of the signing, the deal briefly made him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, a mark later surpassed by George Kittle.
McBride’s 2025 campaign has continued his historic pace. With 16 consecutive games with at least five catches, he passed Travis Kelce for the most consecutive games with five receptions by a tight end. He also became the first tight end in NFL history to record consecutive 100-catch seasons, reinforcing his role as the centerpiece of the Cardinals’ offense and a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Playing Style and Strengths
McBride combines the frame and blocking toughness of a traditional in-line tight end with the route-running precision and reliable hands of a top receiver. He is particularly effective as a chain-moving target on intermediate crossing routes and has shown the ability to line up in the slot or detached from the formation. His basketball background shows up in contested-catch situations, where he uses his body and strong hands to win at the catch point.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature achievements, McBride became the first Cardinals tight end since Rob Awalt in 1989 to reach 100 receiving yards in a single game, set a new NFL record by catching his first touchdown of the 2024 season on his 98th reception of the year, and signed a contract that briefly made him the highest-paid tight end in league history. He is also the first tight end ever to record back-to-back 100-catch seasons.
Trey McBride Career Highlights
Across his NFL career, Trey McBride has established himself as one of the most productive tight ends in the league. Through the 2024 season, he has accumulated 221 receptions for 2,236 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns, while adding value as a blocker and special teams contributor in his rookie year.
NFL Regular Season Highlights
McBride’s most productive NFL season came in 2024, when he posted 111 receptions for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns and earned his first Pro Bowl nod. In 2023, he set a new benchmark for Cardinals tight ends with his 100-yard performance against the Falcons and finished with 81 catches for 825 yards. As a rookie in 2022, he appeared in 16 games and started 13, recording 29 receptions for 265 yards and his first career touchdown.
Other Performances
At the college level, McBride set Colorado State records for single-season and career receptions and receiving yards by a tight end, finishing with 157 receptions for 2,011 yards from 2018 to 2021. His 2021 senior season, which included 90 receptions for 1,121 yards, earned him the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end and unanimous All-American honors.
Trey McBride Family
Family Background and Athletics
Trey McBride has two older brothers, a twin brother, and a younger sister. One of his older brothers, Toby, played football at Colorado State as a defensive end, giving the family a clear connection to the program where Trey eventually became a record-setting tight end.
Personal Life
McBride grew up in Fort Morgan, Colorado, and has remained closely tied to his family throughout his professional career. Multi-sport success runs through the household, as evidenced by Trey’s high school records in basketball and baseball alongside his football accomplishments.
2025 Season Performance
McBride’s 2025 season has continued the historic production that defined his 2024 Pro Bowl campaign. He opened the year by signing a four-year, $76 million contract extension with $43 million guaranteed on April 3, 2025, cementing his long-term future with the Cardinals and briefly making him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history at the time of signing.
On the field, he has strung together 16 consecutive games with at least five receptions, surpassing Travis Kelce for the longest such streak by a tight end. He also became the first tight end in NFL history to record consecutive 100-catch seasons, further establishing himself as the focal point of Arizona’s offense and a two-time Pro Bowl selection heading into the latter portion of the schedule.
With his contract situation settled and his statistical place in league history secured, McBride’s outlook in 2025 centers on chasing additional individual milestones, competing for postseason recognition, and serving as the offensive centerpiece for a young Cardinals team building around Kyler Murray. His combination of size, route-running, and red-zone reliability makes him one of the most valuable tight ends in the NFL.