Category: Cardinals

Pro Bowler Trey McBride discusses Marvin Harrison Jr.’s rookie year, Cardinals season

@EdEastonJr spoke to Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride the Cardinals’ 2024 season and teammate Marvin Harrison Jr.’s rookie campaign.

This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride.

In his interview with Easton Jr., McBride, on behalf of Rockin’ Protein, discussed his partnership with the high-quality fitness drink and reflected on the Cardinals’ 2024 season and teammate Marvin Harrison Jr.’s rookie campaign.

“You can get it (Rockin’ Protein) all over the place. It’s not just available here on the western side of the country, but the protein is the best I’ve ever tasted,” said McBride. “It tastes phenomenal. It doesn’t have that chalky taste that most protein companies have afterward. It’s high in protein, super easy, and there are a ton of different flavors to choose from. So it’s easy for me to choose.”

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The Cardinals finished the season 8-9, missing out on the playoffs in a competitive NFC West. There is optimism for the young team that excelled past many preseason projections in 2024.

“Yeah, I think for me, Jonathan Gannon and Monti Ossenfort, head coach and GM (General Manager), that they’ve done a very good job of bringing the right people into the building,” McBride explained. “[They are] building this culture, you know, from the ground up, from the foundation, they’ve done a really good job of bringing in a lot of great people, great coaches, things like that, to build this culture the right way. And for me, I think it starts with those guys. Those guys have done a really good job. Kyler (Murray) obviously has done a great job, and just this camaraderie that we have as a team, I think we’re gonna, you know, continue to get better, continue to grow, and I’m excited to see where, where we can take this thing the next couple years.”

McBride’s teammate and rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was a standout performer, finishing the season with 62 catches for 885 yards and a touchdown.

“He’s an elite player,” McBride said of Harrison. “He’s a guy who’s, you know, been a freak athlete his whole life. He comes from great genes, so I’m excited to see what he can continue to do. He had so many expectations from him, from what he was supposed to do. I thought he had a great season, and in this league, it’s so hard to be successful off the rip. So I’m excited for him to grow this next year, to be able to, you know, see coverages better, to be able to find zones better and grow as a player. He’s such a great player and such a great person, and the sky’s the limit for him, so I’m excited to see where he can take it in the next couple of years.”

Check out the following link for more information on Rockin’ Protein

Cardinals TE Trey McBride reflects on Pro Bowl season, tight end role models

@EdEastonJr spoke to Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride about his Pro Bowl season and his tight-end role models in the league.

This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride.

In his interview with Easton Jr., McBride, on behalf of Rockin’ Protein, discussed his partnership with the high-quality fitness drink and reflected on his Pro Bowl season and his tight-end role models in the league.

“A few things stuck out to me when choosing this protein company,” McBride explained. “The first thing that really sticks out to me is that they’re an Arizona-based company. I wanted to do something that was local. I wanted to be something that was involved in the community here in Arizona where I’m at. And not only is it based in Arizona, you can buy it nationwide.”

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McBride set career highs during the 2024 season, finishing with 111 catches for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection.

“It’s a huge honor. It’s something that, obviously, I’ve dreamed about for a long time and to come to fruition finally,” said McBride. “To finally be in the same conversation as some of these great tight ends. It’s, it’s a huge honor, and something I’ve been dreaming of for a very long time.”

The former second-round pick from Colorado State mentioned two current star tight ends he models his game after.

“Yeah, it’s funny. I’ve actually watched a ton of tight ends while growing up. These guys are a little older than me, but Travis Kelce and George Kittle are other guys who really stick out to me. They do everything the right way,“ McBride said. “He’s a threat in the run game, a threat in the past game, and he does everything the right way. So I love watching all those guys play. I love watching them how they, you know, pick apart defenses, all sorts of different things. So I watch a ton of films on a ton of other guys and try to take different things from each player.”

Check out the following link for more information on Rockin’ Protein

Cardinals TE Trey McBride talks Rockin’ Protein, unique atmosphere of Super Bowl week

@EdEastonJr spoke to Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride favorite Rockin’ Protein flavor and his experiences during Super Bowl week.

This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride.

In his interview with Easton Jr., McBride, on behalf of Rockin’ Protein, discussed his partnership with the high-quality fitness drink, including his favorite flavor and experiences during Super Bowl week.

“I think for me, I’m just very easy,” McBride said. “The vanilla flavor, for me, is a killer. [You] can’t go wrong with that high on protein, super easy to grab and go and taste phenomenal.”

Rockin’ Protein is packed with high-quality protein and nutrients to help sustain my energy, whether you’re on the field or in the gym. It features 30 grams of protein plus low carbs with no added sugar. It is made with pure, fresh Shamrock Farms milk, eliminating the chalky aftertaste from other products.

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The football world will be in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX, the most high-profile event globally. McBride has witnessed the event as a spectator and looks forward to the day he can participate in the biggest game of the year.

“Yeah, I think it’s cool to be out there too,” McBride explained. “Obviously, I would love to play and be out there for that, but it’s a great experience. [There are] so many cool people, a lot of different athletes, different people out there, and just being out there with those guys and being associated with them is so cool. I love going out there every year. I’ll probably be out there again this year, so it’ll be a blast and something I look forward to every single year.”

Check out the following link for more information on Rockin’ Protein

Cardinals clock Chargers on field goal as time expires

Cardinals edge Chargers on last-second field goal

For those of you without ESPN+, here is all you need to know: The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 17-15, on Monday night.

The game came down to the final play when Chad Ryland kicked a 32-yard field goal to give the Cardinals a 17-15 win.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled TV viewing.

Kyler Murray looks for Charger defenders on 44-yard touchdown run

Kyler Murray could not believe his 44-yard TD run was that easy

Kyler Murray broke out of the pocket in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game between his Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Chargers.

The quarterback made it to the sideline took off for the end zone.

He looked as surprised as anyone when he headed for paydirt.

There were no Bolts anywhere in the vicinity as Murray finished the 44-yard run.

After the PAT, the Cardinals led 14-9.

Cardinals stun 49ers after trailing by 13 points

Kyler Murray and the Cardinals rocked the 49ers

On any given Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals can overcome a 13-point deficit to defeat the San Francisco 49ers.

That’s what happened when Chad Ryland, elevated to kicker due to a knee injury to Matt Prater, kicked his third field goal with 1:37 left to give the Cardinals a 24-23 victory.

The NFC West standings are stunning with the Cardinals and 49ers each at 2-3.

Arizona trailed 23-10 at halftime. It outscored the Niners 14-0 in the final 30 minutes of the NFC West game.

Kyler Murray threw for 195 yards and rushed for 83.

Kyzir White sealed the victory with an interception of a Brock Purdy pass.

Kyler Murray hits Marvin Harrison Jr. for pair of touchdowns

Kyler Murray threw two early TD passes to Marvin Harrison Jr.

Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. weren’t on the same page in Week One.

They fixed that problem quickly on Sunday as the quarterback found his first-round pick for two touchdowns in the first quarter of the Arizona Cardinals’ NFC West game with the Los Angeles Rams.

The first TD went for 23 yards and made it 7-0 after the PAT. The second covered 60 yards and gave Arizona a 14-0 lead after 6:13.

DeeJay Dallas of Cardinals with first dynamic kickoff TD return

The Cardinals got the first dynamic kickoff return touchdown

The newfangled NFL kickoff rule saw its first TD return in the first week of the season.

The Arizona Cardinals’ DeeJay Dallas collected a Buffalo Bills dynamic kickoff at the four-yard line and was off and running.

Ninety-six  yards later, Dallas had a touchdown and after the PAT, the Cardinals were within 31-28 in an exciting game in Orchard Park.

2024 record prediction: Arizona Cardinals

We take a look at the Arizona Cardinals and see where they may end up at the end of the season.

Earlier this year I made a post going over how the Arizona Cardinals could be one of the sleeper teams heading into the 2024 season, and that will reflect in my record prediction. Second year coach Jonathan Gannon showed his players are ready to fight for him and that he has the defensive mind that got him hired in the first place. With Gannon’s second year defense installed and more talent being added to it via draft and free agency with the likes of Sean Murphy-Bunting, Justin Jones, and Darius Robinson, this unit should be firing on all cylinders and massively improve upon last seasons 25th place ranking.

Another massive reason for the Arizona rebound will be the healthy return of franchise quarterback Kyler Murray, who while dealing with recovering from an injury all last season, still showed all the flashes that made the Cardinals re-commit to him in the offseason. With rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. walking in day one as the teams’ top receiver, this offense should be massively improved with an instant legitimate big play threat on the outside. Tight end Trey McBride broke out last season and should only take even more steps forward with a solid connection with Murray and some pressure off his shoulders now with the arrival of Harrison Jr.

This Arizona team is going to field a dynamic offense and a gritty defense intent on keeping them in games. We have seen flashes from this coaching staff, this quarterback, and this defense, now it’s time for it to show up on the field in a big way next season as they chase a potential wildcard spot.

Final record prediction: 8-9

The Arizona Cardinals are a super sleeper team going into 2024

With a second-year head coach and a refreshed franchise quarterback, the Arizona Cardinals could shock the NFL world in 2024.

One wouldn’t be blamed for not thinking highly of a team that finished last season with a porous 4-13 record and a proven talent gap within the division. However, the Arizona Cardinals are a team that could prove to play spoiler for the 2024 NFL season, and may even be a surprise playoff team when things are all said and done.

While the talent pool in Arizona is not as deep as some of the juggernauts of their division, with the Rams and 49ers boasting two of the more dangerous rosters in the entire league, there was clearly a spark to this Jonathan Gannon led team last season that was without their franchise quarterback for the majority of it.

Yes we can call Kyler Murray what he is at this point in his career, and that is a franchise quarterback. Injuries and mixed play have certainly damaged his reputation with the general public, but when Murray is at the top of his game he is a superstar and he showed as much during the final stretch of last season as he was coming back from injury.

In the final three games of the season Murray compiled six touchdowns to just one turnover and had Arizona averaging 23 points a game over that stretch. Murray has been able to adapt to the new look Drew Petzing offense, which was a massive change of direction compared to the equivalent of offensive food poisoning that was the Kliff Kingsbury offense he previously played under. With Petzing clearly prioritizing the run to set up Murray’s play by play explosion, this offense looked like it was humming better than it had all year once Murray started to come into himself late into the season.

This offseason has been a massive shift on offense to help establish their new identity as a smash mouth running team. Drafting the likes of Florida State running back Trey Benson, Illinois guard Isaiah Adams, and Illinois tight end Tip Reiman, along with the signing multiple free agents who fit the mold, sends a clear signal that Arizona is going to run the ball down opposing teams throats play after play.

The most obvious draft selection of Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is only going to help open up the field for Murray on passing downs as well as relieve pressure within the front seven, as teams will have to respect the rookies playmaking ability at the second level. Veteran running back James Conner should find plenty of opportunity to expand upon what was one of his best seasons to date.

It’s easy to forget that Arizona was projected to be the worst team in the league last season, and many a fan and analyst wrote them off the be blown out every game until Murray returned to service, but that simply did not happen. While the win total did not fall far from that prediction, it was clear this team was fighting game in and game out for their rookie head coach. The defense looked refined and relentless under Gannon’s guidance, and was a big reason why the team was so competitive.

Arizona even ended up shocking the world early on in the season with a major upset over the Dallas Cowboys in week three, which looked like a culmination of all the things we talked about coming together (plus some super hero stuff for Josh Dobbs).

With a clear identity, a fully healthy Murray, a budding defense behind a brilliant defensive mind, and players willing to go to war for their coach, the Cardinals could continue to shock the world and take a massive leap in Jonathan Gannon’s second year as head coach.