When Trey McBride was growing up in Fort Morgan, Colorado, he was an excellent athlete but reaching the NFL was just a dream and little more.
"It was never on the forefront of my mind," McBride said. "I was never convinced."
That younger version on McBride probably would be amazed to see the 25-year-old McBride on Thursday, after the tight end turned his first Pro Bowl season into a four-year contract extension, connecting him to the Cardinals through the 2029 season.
The extension was expected, and the Cardinals had made it a priority. McBride, a second-round pick in 2022, had one year left on his rookie deal. The contract is worth a reported $43 million in guarantees and puts his average salary at $19M, making him the highest paid ever at his position.
McBride had an excellent finish to the 2023 season, and unlike a young Trey, brought significant confidence into 2024.
"I still feel no one really knows about me," McBride said before the season, noting that he liked the idea of joining players like Detroit's Sam LaPorta and Dallas' Jake Ferguson in the "next wave" of the position.