Trey McBride Reveals Surprising Childhood Idol

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride shared that his childhood idol was not a mainstream NFL star, but rather Joel Dreessen, a former nine-year veteran who largely flew under the radar. This revelation highlights a personal connection rather than mainstream fame as the source of McBride's inspiration, as both players grew up in the same Colorado city, attended the same high school, and later played at Colorado State University.

Why it matters

McBride's choice to idolize Dreessen underscores the importance of local role models and tangible examples when pursuing professional dreams. His own rapid rise and near shattering of Dreessen's entire career receiving numbers in just one season demonstrate the powerful motivation that such personal connections can inspire.

The details

Despite Dreessen's modest NFL career, never surpassing 500 receiving yards in a season aside from one exception, McBride explained his admiration was rooted in their shared background. 'I had a tight end from my hometown, Joel Dreessen, who played in the NFL for a few years, and that's who I really looked up to,' McBride said. 'I wanted to be just like him, do everything that he did and kind of follow in his footsteps.' Dreessen was selected in the sixth round by the New York Jets in 2005 but spent the bulk of his career with the Houston Texans. Meanwhile, McBride has emerged as one of the NFL's top tight ends, becoming a central figure in Arizona's offense since his breakout in 2023.

• McBride set a new single-season receptions record for tight ends with 126 catches in 2025.

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