Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride keeps carving out his own lane in NFL history, and he added another line to the record book against the Los Angeles Chargers.
A catch in the third quarter gave McBride the distinction of becoming the first tight end in NFL history to log five or more receptions in 11 straight road games. By that point against the Chargers, he already had seven catches for 86 yards.
It’s the latest milestone in a run that has already put McBride in rare company. Last season, he set the NFL record for receptions by a tight end with 126, and he also became the first tight end in league history to post consecutive 100-catch seasons. That production earned him first-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection, coming on the heels of a four-year contract extension that made him the highest-paid tight end ever at the time.
Now entering 2026 under new head coach Mike LaFleur, McBride has a chance to push his game even further. LaFleur said earlier this summer, "He's put some pretty cool tape out already," LaFleur said earlier this summer.
"But there are little margins. I think he can have a deeper intermediate route tree because he does have the speed, the body lean, and the savvy."
McBride, who is rated 99 overall in Madden NFL 27, says his mindset stays simple: every ball thrown his way is one he expects to catch.
"This is the play I am in, most of the time you know when the ball is coming to you, you see the coverage, you know what route you have, your eyes get big and it's like 'here we go,'" McBride said (h/t AZCardinals.com).
"When the ball is in the air, I fully expect myself to make the play. I want to be the same player every day.
I want to show my coaches, show my teammates, show myself, that it's not a one-off. I want to make every play that's thrown to me, I want to be that security blanket for the quarterback."
Even with plenty of talent around him on offense, the Cardinals have every reason to keep McBride at the center of what they do. And as he begins his fifth season as a pro, he’s still stacking up firsts. Whether he reaches a third straight 100-reception season is still to be seen, but the history keeps coming.
In Other News...
Chargers Already Face An Ugly Harbaugh Backlash After Week 1
The Chargers season opener was supposed to be a clean first step under Jim Harbaugh, but instead it ended with a 26-14 home loss to the Cardinals and an immediate round of soul-searching. Harbaugh did not hide his frustration afterward, singling out the defense for its shortcomings, and the tone around the team changed fast once the final whistle blew.
Breiden Fehoko added another layer to the aftermath by going after Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz on social media, turning a bad Week 1 into an early referendum on the roster-building process. With Las Vegas next on the schedule, the Chargers do not have much time to settle the noise before they have to show whether this was a one-off stumble or the start of a much bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Sent A Message In Week 1 Few Fans Expected
The Cardinals opened the season with a road win that looked much sharper than plenty of people expected, handling the Chargers 26-14 behind a defense that kept turning momentum their way. A blocked punt helped set up a touchdown, Andrew Wingard came up with a key interception, and Dante Stills delivered a sack on fourth and goal as Arizona kept stacking stops and never really let Los Angeles settle in.
Jeremiyah Love got Arizona on the board early with a touchdown, and from there the Cardinals did enough on both sides to stay in command. It was the kind of Week 1 performance that can change how a team is viewed, especially when it comes away from a tough road environment with a result like this, even if the larger test of what it means for the season is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks QB Situation Just Changed Arizonas Next NFC West Test
Seattles quarterback picture shifted ahead of a game that matters to Arizonas early NFC West climb. Sam Darnold is expected to miss Week 2 against the Cardinals because of a glute injury, which means Drew Lock will be under center when the Seahawks come to town. Its the kind of mid-September adjustment that can quietly change the feel of a division matchup, especially when both teams are still trying to sort out who they are.
For Arizona, it adds another layer to a stretch that already demands attention in the division race. Darnolds injury is not considered major, and a return as soon as Week 4 remains possible, but his Week 3 status is also up in the air, leaving Seattles quarterback situation unsettled for the immediate future. The Cardinals will prepare for Lock, but theyll also have one eye on how much longer this version of the Seahawks offense might look different. [Read more 🡒]