Trey McBride has become a familiar name on the NFL’s fine list this season, and the Arizona Cardinals tight end just added two more hits to the ledger.
After the league reviewed Week 7, McBride was fined twice for the game against the Denver Broncos - once for a facemask and once for taunting. Each penalty came in at $11,941, putting the total at nearly $24,000 from those two plays alone. That came on top of the $17,911 fine he received in Week 4 for a leg-whip block.
McBride addressed the taunting play after the game, saying he wished he had finished the sequence differently.
"Honestly I should've made that play on the pass interference and it eats me up," McBride said. "That's a play I can make.
I'm capable of making that through contact through the pass interference, whatever that is. I've got to come down with those plays.
"If I make that play, onside kick, we're still in that game. That's what kind of frustrates me the most. I had a good game, but I didn't finish the job."
Through seven weeks, McBride’s fines are up to nearly $42,000. The calendar hasn’t even flipped to Week 8 yet.
The money likely isn’t a major issue after McBride signed a record-setting deal that will make him the NFL’s highest-paid tight end ahead of the 2025 season, though most of that extension won’t kick in until next year.
Arizona has had several other players tagged with fines already this season. Inside linebacker Karson Sharar was docked $5,372 for a late hit in Week 2, tight end Elijah Higgins was fined $20,411 for illegal use of helmet in Week 5, outside linebacker Eku Leota was hit for more than $6,000 for a blindside block during a punt return, and tight end Teagan Quitoriano was fined nearly $7,000 for a leg-whip block.
On the field, McBride has been as productive as ever. He has 59 catches for 472 yards and four touchdowns, and he leads all NFL players in receptions.
"I think you guys all know what (TE) Trey (McBride) can do," Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said this season.
"You have different skill sets that these guys can provide for us, not just in the run game but in the pass game as well. To be able to present some of those formations or some of that 13-personnel - not just old school (style with) all (of the) guys hands in the dirt but spread it out a little bit and give the defense a few wrinkles.”
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