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NFL Announces Punishment For Cardinals TE Trey McBride

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 4:45 PM ET

Trey McBride and the Arizona Cardinals opened the 2025 NFL season strong with two straight wins to start 2-0. But they followed with back-to-back losses, a 16-15 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3 and a 23-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Week 4's edition of "Thursday Night Football," dropping to 2-2 on the year. Still, McBride has been Kyler Murray's favorite target, recording 24 catches for 234 yards and one touchdown.

With 13:33 left in the second quarter of the Week 3 loss to the 49ers, McBride hauled in a 17-yard pass from Murray, his longest catch of the day. After the play, the former Colorado State tight end celebrated by getting in the face of 49ers safety Marques Sigle before returning to the huddle.

While no penalty was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, the NFL still fined McBride $11,593 for "taunting."

McBride wasn't the only player from the Week 3 NFC West matchup who was charged by the league. In fact, 49ers linebacker Fred Warner was hit with a $23,186 fine for "unnecessary roughness," describing it as a "use of the helmet."

"The NFL fined #AZCardinals TE Trey McBride $11,593 for taunting on this play."

The NFL fined #AZCardinals TE Trey McBride $11,593 for taunting on this play. pic.twitter.com/HhgfJnD3PF
— Donnie Druin (@DonnieDruin) September 27, 2025

McBride became the first Cardinals player fined by the NFL this season. In Week 3 alone, the league issued 20 fines, including his, accounting for 0.78% of the week’s 2,550 total plays.

McBride and the Cardinals have already played their Week 4 matchup and will now wait for Week 5 when they face Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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