One of the weirdest NFL droughts ended on Sunday, thanks to Trey McBride and his emergence as one of the league's up-and-coming tight ends. McBride finished with eight catches for 131 yards in the Arizona Cardinals' 25-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first Cardinals tight end with a 100-yard receiving game since 1989.
The longest such drought in NFL history, the last Cardinals' tight end to have 100 receiving yards in a game prior to McBride was Robert Awalt, who had 105 receiving yards in Week 10 of the 1989 season against the Dallas Cowboys. McBride actually has the most receiving yards by any Cardinals tight end since the franchise moved to Arizona from St. Louis in 1988.
When Awalt had the 100-yard game, the Cardinals were in the NFC East and Ed "Too Tall" Jones started for the Cowboys in that game. The Cardinals were called the Phoenix Cardinals and Gene Stallings was their head coach. McBride's 131 receiving yards are the most by a Cardinals tight end since Jackie Smith had 149 on October 11th, 1970 -- 53 years ago.
McBride has 21 catches for 248 yards and a touchdown in his last three games, becoming a reliable receiving option in the Cardinals' passing game in Year Two. He has 36 catches for 418 yards and a touchdown this season, seeking even more history in the weeks ahead.
Zach Ertz has the most receiving yards for any tight end in a season since the Cardinals moved to Arizona (564). McBride is just 146 yards away from passing Ertz, with seven games to reach the mark.
