Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton had a lot of praise for Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride before and after Sunday's 30-16 win in the desert.
Prior to Sunday's Week 7 win, Payton had warned about the playmaking ability of McBride, who is quickly establishing himself as one of the premier tight ends across the NFL. Through seven games, McBride is leading the league
with 59 receptions for 472 yards."Clearly he reminds me a lot of [Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock] Bowers, these unique skill set tight ends that can get matched up on safeties or even corners," Payton said last week.
Payton knew what he was talking about. McBride led all Cardinals with 10 catches for 111 yards and caught Arizona's lone touchdown against Denver's defense on Sunday.
"Don't let 85 get going!"
— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2026
Trey McBride was doing his thing on National Tight Ends Day 🫡@insidethenfl Week 7 Mic'd Up on X pic.twitter.com/Dlhimh6YZg
After Sunday's game, Payton linked up with McBride on the field, in a moment that was captured by Denver media, and the two shared an awesome moment together.
"Were you yapping at (defensive coordinator) Vance (Joseph) or me," Payton asked McBride after the game.
"I was yapping at both of y'all," McBride said. "You were standing right next to each other. I got a ton of respect for you, Sean."
"Same here, brother," Payton said. "I’ve had some good Joker tight ends, and you’re certainly one of them.”
You can see the exchange below.
Sean Payton and Trey McBride after the game:
— Romi Bean (@Romi_Bean) October 27, 2026
“I’ve had some good joker tight ends and you’re certainly one of them”
Bring him home pic.twitter.com/mVKZ6WeYOz
Payton has a long history of trying to find a "Joker" on offense in Denver, a jack-of-all-trades who can do anything and everything. Calling McBride a Joker is a huge compliment from Payton.
The Colorado product has a bright future ahead, and Payton will undoubtedly continue to sing his praises. Who knows, maybe they'll join forces at some point down the road?
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Here’s what Sean Payton told Trey McBride after Broncos beat Cardinals
