Trey McBride Soaks In All-Pro Honors, Falcons Begin New Era with Stefanski and Cunningham at the Helm
Trey McBride’s breakout season didn’t just turn heads-it earned him a spot among the NFL’s elite. The Cardinals’ tight end capped off a monster year with 126 receptions, 1,239 yards, and 11 touchdowns, good enough to land him his second Pro Bowl nod and a coveted first-team All-Pro selection. Not bad for a guy who still insists he’s not the best at his position-yet.
“Yeah, it’s crazy,” McBride said from the Pro Bowl festivities. “Honestly, it’s really cool to be up there with Ja’Marr Chase, all these guys that lead the league every year, all these stud receivers that do it. Just to be in the same conversation as those guys means a lot to me.”
That humility isn’t just for show. McBride’s quick to point out that while he’s climbing the ladder, he still sees himself chasing the likes of George Kittle and Travis Kelce-two pillars of tight end excellence over the past decade.
“I think I’m a great tight end, I just don’t think I’m the best,” he said. “I feel like I’m considered one of the top tight ends, but I got to just keep proving myself each and every day, each and every week, every year. I’ve had a good couple years, but [49ers tight end George] Kittle, [Chiefs tight end Travis] Kelce, these guys have had eight, nine years of that.”
What sets McBride apart? According to him, it’s his ability to consistently get open and make plays-traits that have made him a security blanket in Arizona’s offense.
“I get the ball a ton, but I feel like I can catch the ball and get open a lot and I feel good,” McBride said. “I feel young and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon.”
As the Cardinals look to build around their rising star, they’re also reshaping their coaching staff. Arizona is bringing in Matt Merritt, formerly Miami’s running backs coach, to take over the same role in the desert. Merritt brings experience and a fresh perspective to a Cardinals backfield that will be looking to complement McBride’s production through the air.
Falcons’ New Era: Bijan Buys In, Cunningham Lays the Foundation
Down in Atlanta, the Falcons are turning the page with a new leadership group-and so far, the early returns are promising.
Star running back Bijan Robinson, mic’d up during the Pro Bowl, didn’t hold back when talking about his new head coach, Kevin Stefanski.
“Kevin Stefanski, he’s fire bro,” Robinson said. “I like him a lot, and his offensive scheme. Tommy Rees, he’s the OC, but he’ll call the plays.”
That’s a strong endorsement from one of the team’s most dynamic playmakers, and it gives fans a glimpse into the energy around the Falcons’ new coaching staff. Rees, who takes over play-calling duties, will have a versatile weapon in Robinson to work with as Atlanta reshapes its offense.
Meanwhile, new general manager Ian Cunningham is already setting the tone for how he wants the Falcons to be built: smart, tough, and resilient-both physically and mentally.
“We’re going to be smart, tough, physical, physically and mentally tough,” Cunningham said. “That’s a part of the process that we’re going to instill and push with our scouting staff - both college and pro scouting.
We’re going to look at those things along the way. That’s what we’re going to be.
That’s what we’re going to be built on.”
Cunningham’s background reflects that philosophy. He cut his teeth as an area scout with the Ravens and later led college scouting for the Eagles, two organizations known for physical football and strong roster construction. Falcons president of football Matt Ryan (no, not that Matt Ryan) made it clear that Cunningham’s all-around scouting experience was a major selling point in the hiring process.
“One of the biggest selling points for us on Ian was his experience in all areas on scouting,” Ryan said. “He has touched it all. And I think for the general manager position an understanding of what those positions go through and what the expectations for them are was very important to us through that process.”
Ryan emphasized the importance of having someone at the GM spot who can guide the entire front office with a clear and cohesive vision.
“We were looking for someone in this position that was well-versed in terms of their experience and has touched all the different parts of scouting,” he said. “That was something that was important for us because there’s a lot that falls under Ian’s control.
So you want somebody who is comfortable, who understands each individual’s role in his department. So that was something that was really big.
Aligned vision on how to build a football team, on what wins games, on the types of players that you want to bring in the building.”
With a rising star at tight end in Arizona and a new regime taking shape in Atlanta, both franchises are laying the groundwork for something bigger. Whether it's McBride chasing greatness or the Falcons building a new identity, the foundation is being poured-and it’s worth keeping an eye on.