Trey McBride walks back dig at Arizona Cardinals fans
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride has walked back podcast comments criticizing the team's fanbase, saying he "probably shouldn't have said that" and affirming that Arizona fans are "tremendous." The star tight end insisted he loves it in Arizona and wants to give supporters something to cheer for this season.
Key Takeaways
- Trey McBride retracted June podcast remarks that suggested Arizona lacked true Cardinals fans.
- Speaking Saturday, he said the comments "came out wrong" and called the fanbase "tremendous."
- On Bussin' with the Boys, he had described Arizona as a transplant state with "no Arizona fans."
- He pledged a better year for fans, saying the Cardinals will win games and give them something to cheer for.
- Since McBride joined in 2022, Arizona has gone 19-49 with no seasons above .500, per NFL.com.
The walk-back lands as the Cardinals prepare for another season under new head coach Mike LaFleur, with McBride trying to reset the relationship with supporters after his remarks spread widely. Coverage of the story sits alongside other breaking chatter in our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
What did Trey McBride say about Cardinals fans?
During a June appearance on the Bussin' with the Boys podcast, McBride argued that Arizona's transplant culture leaves the Cardinals without a deep home crowd.
"Living in Arizona, no one's from Arizona," he said. "Everyone has kinda moved in from another state, so they're all fans of their own teams, so now you have the Arizona that sits there and there's no Arizona fans in Arizona. So it's a tough deal. Hopefully, we start winning some games and we can bring some of those fans back."
USA Today reported that former Titans lineman Taylor Lewan, who grew up in Arizona, noted on the same podcast that Cardinals hats were more visible around town before the team's Super Bowl run in 2009, then faded afterward.
How did Trey McBride walk back the comments?
Asked about the remarks, McBride did not double down. "I probably shouldn't have said that," he said Saturday, according to NFL.com (via ESPN). "It came out wrong, and obviously the fanbase is great. We have a tremendous fanbase."
He added that Arizona has loyal fans across its sports teams and that the Cardinals are "very lucky" to have them. "I love it here in Arizona, and I hope they love me too, but it's a special place. The fans are great, and I'm excited for this year to give them something to be proud of."
Why does Trey McBride's fanbase dig matter now?
Context helps explain why the clip stung. NFL.com noted that since McBride arrived in 2022, the Cardinals are 19-49, with zero seasons above .500 and three of four campaigns under five wins. Fan energy often tracks winning, and McBride's original point blended that reality with a broader knock on who roots for Arizona.
USA Today added that the franchise has only four playoff appearances since losing the Super Bowl in 2009 and just five winning seasons in the last 17. In that time, every team in the NFC West has appeared in the Super Bowl at least twice. New coach Mike LaFleur inherits the job of closing that gap.
McBride's walk-back reframes the story from a dig at empty stands to a player owning a misstatement and betting that wins will refill the stands. For Cardinals fans, the message is clearer than the podcast sound bite: he says he wants them proud of this team again.