What this NFL tight end learned quickly about the golf swing

Trey McBride was thrilled when the Arizona Cardinals drafted him two years ago, but not just because it was the start of his NFL career. He was now in a desert climate, which meant he could get into golf in his spare time — at least when he wasn’t starting at tight end.

Only a couple of years into the game, McBride, this week’s guest on GOLF’s Subpar podcast, says his handicap hovers around 10 to 15, and right now it’s a 12.

“He’s fresh in the game. He’s one of those like, give him a little time to figure it out,” said co-host Drew Stoltz. “The raw material is there, just needs reps, needs to play some.”

What has McBride learned during his brief stint in golf? Easy does it.

“I used to swing hard and I’m like, with how big I am, I don’t need to swing hard,” said McBride, who is 6-foot-4, 240 pounds. “I just got to let the club do the work and slow my swing down and the ball goes just as far. That’s what I’m starting to realize and I can control the ball a little more. It’s been a lot of fun lately.”

One fellow tight end the Subpar hosts said McBride could learn from? Chiefs star Travis Kelce, who they say swings at about 80 percent yet still hits it a mile and has a strong game despite not playing much.

“He’s legit solid,” Stoltz said. “His golf swing is nice for a dude that I don’t think plays a ton, but if he wanted to…”

You can check out the complete interview with McBride below, in which he breaks down growing up a year-round athlete in Colorado, life in the NFL, the best tight ends in football and more.