“Maaaaan! So happy for my dawg, worth every penny! More work to be done, but a great day.” This was Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s reaction to seeing Trey McBride earn a record $76M contract extension. The Cardinals going above and beyond to keep McBride in Arizona means they are looking to create a formidable front line with McBride at TE, Marvin Harrison Jr. at receiver, and Murray, the architect of it all. As for the league’s highest-paid tight end, he seems to be more than excited to start his updated chapter with the Cardinals.

Speaking to the media, McBride couldn’t be happier after signing his 4-year extension: “I want to be here. I want to be a Cardinal. I want to win here.” McBride’s new deal comes after the Cardinals narrowly missed out on the playoffs for the third straight season. After finishing with a record of 8-9 last season, the Cardinals would be hoping McBride gives up that slight edge still needed to break this frustrating playoff drought.

Actually, judging by McBride’s impact ever since he landed in Arizona. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he continues to elevate his game. Selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, McBride’s rookie year started as a backup to Zach Ertz. With limited opportunities under his belt, McBride showed how big of a nuisance he can be to opposition defenses. His rookie year ended with him catching 29 passes for 265 yards and a TD from 13 starts.

Going into his sophomore year, McBride was a bit fortunate as Ertz suffered a quad injury early into the season. And since he took over that starting role, McBride never looked back. His second season ended with 81 catches and 825 passing yards with 3 TDs. Seeing his year-on-year growth, the best was yet to come last season. McBride took a huge leap, catching a career-high 111 passes for 1,146 yards while adding two TDs. Those astronomical numbers even earned him his first Pro Bowl berth.

So, it wasn’t a complete surprise when the Cardinals went ahead and made him the highest-paid TE in NFL history.

Cardinals’ gift to Trey McBride snatches Travis Kelce’s crown

McBride agreeing to his 4-year, $76M extension was the largest amount ever paid for a tight end. With $43M guarantees and an average of $19M per year, this contract even puts Travis Kelce’s deal with the Chiefs to shame. Kelce was the previous record holder with $17.1M per year. Now it belongs to the 25-year-old McBride, whom the Cardinals have tied till 2029. Make no mistake in questioning whether McBride really deserved to wear Kelce’s crown. He more than deserved this deal, which perfectly matches his contributions as a Cardinal.

Trey’s 221 career receptions in 3 seasons are the most ever by any TE, eclipsing George Kittle’s 216 from 2017 to 2019. Still, his coach, Jonathan Gannon, believes McBride hasn’t hit his ceiling yet. “He had a really good year, but he hasn’t hit his ceiling. He’s working on different parts of his game, but he needs to keep doing what he’s doing. He’s not a one-trick pony,” Gannon said last month at the NFL combine.

After signing this mammoth contract, the pressure will be on McBride to keep those numbers rolling. With Kyler Murray as his QB and McBride as his top target, surely he can deliver more insanely successful seasons for years to come.