Cardinals Star Trey McBride Finally Gets Respect He Deserves

Trey McBride was at least ranked No. 1 on this list.

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) runs after the catch against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ARIZONA — Arizona Cardinals star tight end Trey McBride was recently ranked as the second-best tight end in the NFL in a league survey conducted by ESPN.

On a different list, he finally gets the respect he deserves.

McBride took the crown of Pro Football Network's No. 1 NFL tight end on their list of ranking the league's top players, checking in at No. 21 overall:

"Trey McBride comes in as our highest-rated tight end this year, and he’s coming off a season in which he was undoubtedly the best-performing tight end in the NFL. He led his position with 126 receptions and 1,239 receiving yards, and his 11 receiving touchdowns also tied for first place," they said.

"On an Arizona Cardinals offense that had its rough patches in 2025, McBride was by far the biggest bright spot. He ran away with first place in the PFN TE Impact Score rankings after placing in second in 2024; he’s firmly solidified as an elite tight end, and at 26 years old, he should remain in that category for years to come."

George Kittle was the No. 2 ranked tight end at No. 31 overall. To read more on ESPN putting McBride second on their list, you can click here.

McBride is undoubtedly Arizona's best player entering 2026, and even after landing a massive $76 million contract last offseason, he managed to produce in a big way. He netted a Pro Bowl and All-Pro nod after a season that ranks near the top in terms of historical output.

Now, with new head coach Mike LaFleur in town and calling plays, there's hope McBride is only getting started.

And while McBride's accolades have come in catching passes and reaching the end zone, he's looking to get even better when it comes to getting his hands dirty in the trenches.

"It really starts in the run game," said McBride to reporters this offseason.

""You have to be able to block to play tight end. I know I catch a ton of balls, but you have to block in this league. You have to be able to put your hand in the dirt and get down and get gritty. It's part of the game. And I think that's something, before I was catching all the balls, that's what I was doing. I was a blocking guy. I did a lot of that stuff.

"So, I think that's where it starts is being able to want to and have that willingness to get down and get dirty and do that stuff."