NASHVILLE – For Arizona Cardinals fans born and raised in the Valley, Trey McBride’s comments about the fans in Arizona on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast landed harder than any tackle. “Living in Arizona, no one’s from Arizona. Everyone has moved in from another state, so they’re all fans of their own team.” McBride was describing the reality of trying to build an NFL identity in one of the fastest-growing transplant states in America.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Trey McBride comments on Cardinals fans in Arizona:
Yikes: Cardinals star TE Trey McBride says that the team has ZERO football fans in Arizona.
“Living in Arizona, you know, no one’s from Arizona. Everyone has moved in from another state, so they’re all fans of their own team. It’s a tough deal.”
😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/3EVVrEDF9O
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 2, 2026
That reality has been impossible to ignore. Every season, State Farm Stadium transforms into a sea of opposing jerseys at times. Whether it’s the divisional opponents or teams with massive fan bases like the Steelers, visiting fans routinely create road-game atmospheres inside Arizona’s own building. Arizona has welcomed millions of new residents over the last two decades. Most arrive with decades of emotional investment in another franchise. Those loyalties don’t disappear because of their new surroundings. But there’s another layer to his comments, as winning changes everything.
Sep 25, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) reacts in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Cardinals reached a Super Bowl, made memorable playoff runs, and briefly became one of the NFL’s rising teams. Yet prolonged inconsistency has made it difficult to convert casual sports fans into lifelong Cardinals supporters. NFL fandom is often inherited, but it can also be created through sustained success. Arizona hasn’t had enough of it. That’s why McBride’s extension means more than statistics. As one of the franchise’s faces, he’s investing his prime years in helping build something bigger than catches and touchdowns. He’s trying to help establish an identity.
Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) against the Kansas City Chiefs during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
For lifelong Arizona fans, hearing there are “zero football fans” felt like a punch to the gut because they know they’re there. They’ve stayed through losing seasons, coaching changes and rebuilds, and all the way back at ASU’s stadium. The challenge isn’t finding passionate Cardinals fans. It’s creating enough winning memories that the next generation of Arizona kids grows up wearing red instead of the colors they inherited from somewhere else. That’s the battle Trey McBride was really talking about, and it’s arguably the most important one this franchise has left to win.
Trey McBride talks to the media after the Arizona Cardinals made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL during a news conference at the Arizona Cardinals training facility in Tempe on April 4, 2025.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
