Cardinals' Trey McBride Talks Pro Bowl Season, NFL Playoffs and More in B/R Interview

The Arizona Cardinals haven't made the playoffs since the 2021 season, but that is going to change in the near future.

At least it is if you hear Trey McBride tell it.

"From where we've come the last couple years to where we are now, we've grown significantly," the star tight end told Bleacher Report. "I think we have a great head coach, a great G.M., and I think they're building the program and the culture the right way.

"I'm excited to see what they do this next draft and who they bring in and how they change the team up. We're closer than I've ever been, and I'm excited to make the playoffs the next couple years and be a force to be reckoned with in this league."

Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism looking ahead to the future in Arizona is McBride himself.

After all, the second-round pick of the 2022 NFL draft was a marginal contributor as a rookie before making a remarkable leap into his second year when he posted 81 catches for 825 yards and three touchdowns.

That set the stage for him to become one of the league's best tight ends in his third year, and he accomplished just that with 111 catches for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns as a first-time Pro Bowler and matchup nightmare for opposing defenses that had to deal with his combination of his size and athleticism.

With McBride as a bright spot, the Cardinals went from 4-13 in head coach Jonathan Gannon's first year in 2023 to 8-9 in 2024 with victories over playoff teams in the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.

They fell short of their postseason goal, but things seem to be trending in the right direction.

"I'd like to still be playing and be in the playoffs, and obviously we didn't get that done as a team," the tight end said. "But to have the individual success that I had was very exciting. Just to know that I can compete and be an elite player in this league. At the same time, I'm excited for next year. We're a lot closer than people think, and hopefully next year we can make a playoff run because that's what is most important."

There is no reason to expect anything but an even better version of McBride in 2025 as he chases the playoffs.

After all, he is just 25 years old, will have three full seasons under his belt, more chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray and another chance to work together with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. so they can better take advantage of double teams opposing secondaries throw their way.

That is plenty of young talent in the aerial attack, and the greats always seem to pick something to focus on during the offseason that makes them even better as they progress in their careers.

So what is that for McBride heading into 2025?

"For me, it's continuing to read coverages," he said. "Defenses do such a great job of disguising coverages and making it difficult to read. So continuing to hone in on the different coverages I see and being able to recognize them as fast as possible is something I'm always trying to be better at."

An even better understanding of those coverages will likely lead to more touchdowns next season.

Despite McBride's dominance from a receptions and yard vantage point, it became a running storyline throughout the 2024 campaign that he was not catching any touchdowns. In fact, his two touchdown catches came in the final two games of Arizona's schedule.

It reached a point that Murray was even promising the touchdown drought would end:

Naturally, that led to plenty of fantasy football chatter. While anyone who drafted McBride was surely thrilled with his overall season seeing how he tallied more than 100 catches and more than 1,000 receiving yards, a few more touchdowns would have made him even more valuable.

"Every single week you hear the fantasy football stuff," he said while laughing. "People in your DMs, mad or happy for whatever reason. You see it every single week. But I continue to do what I can do and be the best player I can be, and all the fantasy stuff will take care of itself."

Being the best player he can be goes beyond just playing on Sundays, which is one reason McBride partnered with Rockin' Protein as one of its athlete ambassadors.

The Arizona-based company prides itself on its quality thanks to the use of fresh Shamrock Farms milk to eliminate the typical chalky aftertaste. It also features no added sugar, making it all the more beneficial for athletes like McBride.

"There's a ton of different reasons why I chose to work with Rockin'," he said. "The first thing that stands out to me is they are an Arizona-based company. They're local people in my community and people I want to associate with. And the protein tastes very good. It's got 30 grams of protein, and it's something I really enjoy. It helps me get through those long football days."

There aren't many of those long football days remaining in the 2024 season with the Buffalo Bills facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship and the Philadelphia Eagles facing the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship on Sunday.

McBride and the Cardinals have a better idea of what to expect in those contests than most seeing how they played the Commanders and Bills earlier this season. What's more, Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was the head coach in Arizona when McBride was drafted and for his rookie campaign in 2022.

"Buffalo is a really good team, and it's cool to see Josh Allen win so many games and be successful," the Pro Bowler said of the upcoming conference title games. "He's a great quarterback, and I would love to see him make it to the Super Bowl.

"On the other side, the Commanders are a really good team, and Kliff was my head coach. So I'm always pulling for him. I think Jayden Daniels is a stud for doing what he's doing in his first year. I'm kind of pulling for those guys as well."

If everything goes according to plan, McBride and the Cardinals will follow their former coach's footsteps and reach this level next season.