Cardinals TE Trey McBride is chasing Jackie Smith's legend

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride found himself in elite company last month when he attended George Kittle’s fourth annual, by-invitation only, Tight End University in Nashville. In attendance were Travis Kelce, NFL alumnus Greg Olsen, and a bunch of current and former NHL tight ends.

“It was cool just to see how those guys see the game, what they look for, what they do when they run routes — kind of see what goes on in their brain,” McBride said. “I learned a lot and I plan on going as long as I can.”

If McBride keeps his current pace, he may join another elite company. McBride shattered the previous franchise single-season record for receptions by a tight end with 81 last season, but his 825 receiving yards were still well short of the franchise record (1,205) set by Hall-of-Hamer Jackie Smith in 1967 in St. Louis. Smith’s mark still ranks 13th all-time in NFL history, but the feat is all the more astounding when you consider these two points:

• 12 of the top 15 all-time marks have occurred since 2000, and Smith’s is the only one that occurred before 1980.
• Smith accomplished the feat on just 56 receptions — by far the fewest of the leaders. He averaged a staggering 21.5 yards per catch.

“That’s what being scared does to you,” Smith said by phone on Monday. “I know it sounds crazy, but I never even paid attention to numbers like that. I’m delighted now when I look back on it, but at the time, I was just trying to do the best I could do to satisfy myself because that’s who I was answering to.

“I was a 10th-round draft choice so I was never sure I truly belonged. All I did was run track in college and I didn’t play that much football; just a little bit. So when I found out I was drafted, I called them and asked them, ‘Did you guys make a mistake?'”

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The tight end position was a lot different when Smith played. 

“Most of the time, we lined up right next to the tackle and our job was either to double down on the defensive end or to try and block the linebacker,” Smith said. “For passes, you simply tried to get away from the linebacker and get downfield somewhere if there was nothing else to do.

“With the tight end now, you call it a tight end, but he’s not in the traditional position that I was used to. The guys in Kansas City split out to six yards and really, there’s nobody in front of them to aggravate them and keep them from getting downfield. I would have given up my front seat in hell to have nobody in front of me.”

Smith prided himself on being a complete tight end who could block, pass-protect, catch and run. McBride is working to earn the same rep.

“The blocking aspect of the game is very important,” McBride said. “That’s what gets you open in the play-action stuff, all the run-action stuff. It keeps you on the field for more plays. To be a complete tight end in this league is very hard, but something I strive to do every day.”

All the same, McBride admits that he has a goal in mind: 1,000 receiving yards.

“It was close last year, but I think it’s maybe realistic this year,” he said.

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McBride may have even more space to operate with the addition of receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the maturation of receivers Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and the dual threat of running back James Conner.

Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing‘s greatest challenge may be keeping everybody involved in the offense.

“We’re going to petition the league for two football at all times,” Petzing said, jokingly. “It’s a variety of skill sets. It’s guys that do different things well, so it allows us to be multiple, and it allows us to attack defenses in different ways. You never know exactly, week to week, where the weakness is or what you’re going to need to exploit.”

In one season working with McBride, Petzing has seen a willingness to do whatever is necessary for the offense to function at peak level.

“The tight end position in this offense is multifaceted,” Petzing said. “You’re not going to just split out and catch the ball. You’re not just going to sit in line and block. It’s not going to be just the run game, the pass game, whatever it might be. We put a lot on that position, both mentally and physically.

“Certainly you see his skill set in the passing game. That’s always what fantasy football owners love. That’s what gets you on SportsCenter, but I think at the end of the day, that position in this offense to be successful requires a lot more than that. His willingness, without question, to do some of the dirty work that’s not going to get noticed, that’s not going to put him in the headlines, has been really impressive.”

Those duties aside, Petzing sees another level possible for McBride in the passing game.

“I’m not going to tell you any single person on our roster has reached their ceiling,” Petzing said. “I think if you lose that drive, you stop getting better, or worse, maintaining your ability. I certainly feel like he has another level he can take his game to and we’re gonna push him to try to get him there.”

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Smith, 84, hasn’t kept tabs on the NFL as closely as he once did. He’s been spending much of his time over the past five years spreading the word about the Missouri National Veterans Memorial, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. Smith has been heavily involved in the construction of the monument and its adjacent exhibits.

“I have certainly heard about Trey and I would love to be able to talk to the guy and visit with him a little bit,” Smith said. “If I could talk to him I’d say, ‘Give it your best shot and if you’re interested in setting a record, my hope is that you get it up there where nobody can ever get it.’

“I’m gonna really be keeping track of him now. I’m hoping he sets the record. That’s why you have those things is to give you something to shoot at. If he gets it, I’ll be the first one to call him and tell him congratulations on breaking that record and I’m going to be his biggest supporter along the way.”

Now fully out of the shadow of Zach Ertz, who was released at the end of November, McBride is anxiously anticipating a full season as the Cardinals’ featured tight end, and the opportunity to grow, game by game.

“Last year, that was my goal every single week: I wanted to get better and better and I kind of felt like I did that leading into the end of the season,” he said. “Now it’s just picking up right where I left off and trying to get better from there.

“Every single year, they’re trying to replace you. You’ve just got to keep proving, year in and year out, that you’re the guy that they need on the team.”

Top photo of Trey McBride via Getty Images

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