If you’ve been following the NFL lately, you know the name. Trey McBride isn’t just some flash-in-the-pan tight end; as of early 2026, he’s basically the gold standard at the position. On April 3, 2025, he signed a monster four-year, $76 million extension with the Arizona Cardinals. That’s Travis Kelce money. More than Kelce, actually. But while everyone is busy obsessing over his 111-reception season or his connection with Kyler Murray, the conversation usually circles back to one thing: his family.
People love a "first." And Trey McBride is the first NFL player to be drafted from a family with same-sex parents.
Honestly, there’s a lot of noise out there about his background. Some people try to make it a political thing. Others act like it was some Hollywood-style drama. The reality? It’s way more grounded than that. It’s a story about a small town in Colorado, five competitive siblings, and two moms who didn’t really know much about football but knew everything about grit.
Meet Jen and Kate McBride: The Women Behind the Star
Trey grew up in Fort Morgan, Colorado. If you haven't been, it’s a quiet spot about 80 miles east of Fort Collins. Not exactly the glitz and glamour of Phoenix. His parents, Kate and Jen McBride, raised five kids there: Trey, his fraternal twin brother Dylan, their older brothers Toby and Bryce, and their sister Taya.
You’ve probably seen Kate and Jen on TV during the 2022 NFL Draft or in various "NFL Films Presents" segments. They’re usually the ones wearing #85 jerseys and beaming with pride. But they weren't always "NFL moms." In the early days, they were just two parents trying to manage a chaotic household full of kids who wanted to play every sport imaginable.
Kate and Jen have been together for decades. They built a life in a rural community where being "different" wasn't always easy. But they didn't raise their kids to be victims. They raised them to be tough.
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Trey has often said that having two moms felt completely normal to him. Why wouldn't it? It’s all he ever knew. He once told a reporter that his moms were his "role models" because of how they handled the pressure of raising five kids while navigating the occasional sideways glance from neighbors.
Breaking Barriers Without Trying To
Here is the thing: Trey didn't set out to be a "trailblazer." He just wanted to catch footballs. When he was at Colorado State University (CSU), he was a consensus All-American and won the John Mackey Award—the trophy for the best tight end in the country. During that whole run, his moms were right there in the stands.
It wasn't until the draft process started that the "same-sex parents" headline really took off. The NFL realized they had a historic moment on their hands. For Kate and Jen, it was just another day supporting their son. They’ve admitted in interviews that they didn’t really understand the draft logistics—the agents, the money, the hype—but they understood their son’s work ethic.
The "Brothers McBride" and a Backyard Full of Animals
If you want to understand Trey McBride, you have to look at his brothers. This wasn't a "quiet" house. It was a war zone of competitive energy.
- Toby McBride: The older brother who also played at CSU. He was a defensive end. Imagine the Thanksgiving dinner table where a 250-pound tight end is sitting across from a 270-pound defensive lineman.
- Dylan McBride: Trey’s twin. He wrestled.
- The Vibe: Everything was a competition. Who could eat the most? Who could run the fastest? Who could lift more?
And the house? It was basically a farm. We’re talking dogs, cats, ducks, geese, horses, and even emus and llamas. Growing up in that environment—cleaning up after llamas and getting tackled by Toby—built a specific kind of mental toughness that you can't teach in a fancy training facility.
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One of the most human stories about the family involves Trey's draft night. He couldn't sleep. He was an absolute nervous wreck. Instead of some big agent-led pep talk, his brothers Toby and Dylan just stayed up with him all night. They sat around, talked about life, and kept him grounded. That’s the "McBride way."
Why the "Father" Question is Often Misunderstood
In the era of internet sleuthing, people often search for "Trey McBride father." Let’s clear that up. Trey was conceived via a sperm donor.
Back in 2019, he was asked about this. He was incredibly blunt: he has no interest in finding out who the donor is. For him, the word "parent" isn't about biology; it’s about the people who were at every 6:00 AM practice and every wrestling match. For Trey, his parents are Kate and Jen. Period.
It’s a perspective that resonated deeply with the LGBTQ+ community. In 2024, Trey even reached out to a young Buffalo Bills fan named Forge, who has two dads. He sent the kid a jersey and a handwritten note. It wasn't a PR stunt. It was a guy who knows what it’s like to have a "non-traditional" family and wanted to tell a kid that his family is awesome.
The High-Paid Hero of 2026
Fast forward to today. Trey isn't just "the kid with two moms" anymore. He’s the highest-paid tight end in NFL history.
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The Cardinals didn't give him $76 million because of his family story. They gave it to him because he is a nightmare to cover. He’s got the hands of a wide receiver and the blocking ability of a tackle. But if you ask the Cardinals coaching staff, they’ll tell you his best trait is his "lack of ego."
He credits that directly to Kate and Jen. They taught him that "how you do anything is how you do everything." Whether he’s talking to the owner of the team or the guy cleaning the locker room, he treats them exactly the same.
Key Lessons from the McBride Family Story
If there’s an actionable takeaway from Trey McBride’s upbringing, it’s about resilience through normalization.
- Define your own "normal": Trey never felt "different" because his parents never made him feel that way.
- Competition breeds excellence: Having brothers like Toby and Dylan meant Trey was never allowed to be lazy.
- Support beats knowledge: Kate and Jen didn't have to be football experts to raise an All-Pro. They just had to be "in his corner."
The McBride family proves that the structure of a family matters way less than the support within it. As Trey continues to dominate the league, his moms will likely remain exactly where they’ve always been: in the front row, wearing his jersey, and reminding everyone that "small-town kids" can do big things.
To keep up with Trey’s career, you should watch his "NFL Films Presents" feature, which gives a raw look at their life in Fort Morgan. It's the best way to see the dynamic between him and his moms without the filter of sports media. You can also follow his progress through the Cardinals' official team site as they look toward the 2026 playoffs.