Trey McBride Details Hilarious 'Welcome to NFL' Moment

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals have a star in tight end Trey McBride, who didn't find immediate success in the NFL.

McBride sat behind Zach Ertz for two seasons before finally getting the full-time starting nod for Arizona, and has since taken the league by storm. After inking a contract that made him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, he delivered with one of the best seasons ever for a tight end in 2025.

McBride had to earn his way to NFL stardom, which included some humbling beginnings when first entering the league.

On the Bussin' With The Boys podcast, McBride was asked about his "welcome to the NFL" moment:

"I think my first training camp, when I was able to get a few reps with the ones. I put my hand down and JJ Watt's lined up in front of me. DeAndre Hopkins is in the slot, AJ Green's split out. I was just like, 'holy sh--, dude, I'm like on the offense with, you know, D-Hop and AJ, and I got to try to cut off JJ Watt. This will be fun," said McBride with a chuckle.

"And I just remember there's one play, we're on the backside of a cut-off, and I cut-off JJ Watt, and he's not even - it's in training camp, he's not even trying, and I'm going as hard as I can. Trying to have the perfect technique and he's like not even trying. And I just remember saving the clip, I'm like, 'I f----- blocked JJ Watt!' Videoing it from the iPad, he's not even trying and I'm going as hard as I can."

McBride, a second-round pick in 2022, has turned in quite a career. He's fresh off a first-team All-Pro nod in 2025 with consecutive Pro Bowl honors to his resume as well.

Though the Cardinals ultimately haven't seen any postseason success since McBride arrived, the tight end had a few crucial vets to learn from in his early says, including the likes of Watt, Green and Ertz.

Now, McBride's the veteran in the locker room that many young players are seeking advice from.

"I'm going into my fifth year now and now I'm the guy everybody's asking for questions ... It's just so weird. It still feels like I'm young. It feels like I just got there but now I'm one of the oldest guys there. ... It's pretty crazy to be on the other side of it."

Who knows, McBride probably gave another player their "welcome to the NFL" moment.