Trey McBride has a confession about his trash-talking habit: 'I just kind of turn into a different person'

Trey McBride may be one of the NFL's most productive tight ends, but the Arizona Cardinals star admits his personality changes the moment the ball arrives in his hands. 

“I turn into a different person,” McBride said, via Darren Urban, director of editorial content for the Cardinals. “When I catch the ball, I let people know … and the ball has been finding me a lot.”

Trash talk and touchdowns go hand in hand

Sunday's exchange with Cowboys rookie safety Caleb Downs showcased the Cardinals tight end's willingness to talk after a play, but away from the field, he seems almost amused by the attention.

"I don't think about it at all," McBride said, via Urban. "I play with a lot of passion, I play with a lot of big personality when I'm out there. I just kind of turn into a different person. That's just part of the game, I guess. When I catch a ball, I let the other guy know, and the ball has found me a lot lately, so I let them know a lot.

"I don't want that to be a part of my game, but at the same time I'm not going to change who I am."

McBride's teammate, Michael Wilson, said McBride has been talking trash on the field since he's been affiliated with the Cardinals. 

"He talks the entire game nonstop," Wilson told Peter Schrager on the "The Schrager Hour" podcast, "I say this candidly: He is probably the best football player I've ever played with." 

Trey McBride's production is entering rare territory

McBride has evolved into the centerpiece of Arizona's passing offense, recording 303 receptions for 2,929 yards over the past three seasons. His 111-catch campaign in 2024 was no fluke, as he followed it with a career-best 126 receptions and 11 touchdowns in 2025. 

Through eight games this year, the Cardinals continue to lean heavily on their star tight end, who already has 66 catches, 544 receiving yards, and five trips to the end zone. When McBride says the ball has been finding him a lot, the numbers back him up.

McBride's signature performance of the 2026 regular season so far came in Week 7, as he tormented Denver's defense to the tune of 10 receptions and 111 yards.

McBride became the first tight end in NFL history to record 100-plus receptions in back-to-back seasons. He set the NFL record for most receptions by a tight end in a single season last year with 126 receptions.

McBride's historic run saw him break Travis Kelce's record of 15 consecutive games with at least five receptions, surpass Jimmy Graham for the most catches by a tight end in his first five NFL seasons, and set a new Cardinals franchise record by eclipsing DeAndre Hopkins' 115-catch season.