Trey McBride Has Signed The Largest-Ever Contract For A Tight End

If you asked casual football fans to name the most popular tight ends over the past decade, you'd probably get two answers. First would be Travis Kelce, who's won three Super Bowls and is equally as well-known as Taylor Swift's boyfriend as he is an NFL player. Next, you'd likely hear Rob Gronkowski, or Gronk, as he's more affectionately known. The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end retired in 2022, though he still regularly appears on your TV screen, most notably in USAA commercials.

Trey McBride may not be as well-known as those two lovable goofballs, but he's got something they don't have: the largest contract for a tight end in NFL history.

McBride and the Arizona Cardinals agreed to a four-year contract extension. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the deal is worth $76 million with $43 million guaranteed. At a $19 million average annual value, McBride's contract is larger than any other tight end before him.

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The Cardinals are taking a bit of a gamble, since McBride has only played three years in the NFL. But he's produced well, especially over the past two seasons. When Kyler Murray tore his ACL in 2023 and missed nine games, McBride still put up 81 catches for 825 yards and three scores, despite catching passes from Joshua Dobbs and Clayton Tune for more than half the season.

Last year, McBride was even better. He finished with 111 catches, 1,146 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. His performance was strong enough to earn him his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

This deal might also set the market for tight ends. There are a handful of solid players at the position around the league whose contracts are up next year, including the San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle and Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens. By making this deal now (a year ahead of McBride's upcoming free agency), the Cardinals could end up saving money in the long run.

Despite the hefty pay raise, McBride's average salary will be less than 20 quarterbacks will make this upcoming season. Team success still runs through the quarterback position.

Nevertheless, the Cardinals locked up arguably their best position player for the long run. Now, he'll hope to build on his chemistry Murray and turn those dollars into wins.