James Conner is approaching personal and professional milestones this season with the Arizona Cardinals.
Conner — a 6-foot-1, 230-pound running back from Erie, Pa. — is approaching his own career high in rushing yards in a season and a franchise career high in rushing touchdowns. It’s easy to see why he was recently re-signed.
Conner led the Cardinals past the New England Patriots this weekend, racking up 16 carries for 110 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. And he added five receptions for 28 yards.
He was a key player in the Cardinals 30-17 win against the Patriots, improving to 7-7 and staying in the playoff race.
Conner recently re-signed with the Cardinals on a two-year deal worth $19 million, keeping him in Arizona through the 2026 season. He was scheduled to become a free agent during the offseason.
And it comes as he’s in the midst of a strong season for the Cardinals, racking up 217 carries for 973 yards (4.5 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns, adding 41 receptions for 361 yards and a touchdown.
He’s just 68 yards away from a single-season career-high and two rushing touchdowns from taking the No. 2 spot in rushing touchdowns in Cardinals history.
Conner, who started his NFL career with the Steelers after a standout career at Pitt, has racked up 1,326 carries for 5,739 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and 56 touchdowns — adding 270 receptions for 2,136 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air.
He’s in the midst of his fourth season in Arizona, his eighth season in the NFL, after being drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
In four seasons at Pitt, missing most of his third season due to an ACL tear (and a cancer diagnosis), Conner rushed for 3,733 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and 52 touchdowns — adding 30 receptions for 412 yards (13.7 yards per reception) and four touchdowns.
Conner is second all-time in career rushing yards at Pitt (with the fourth-highest single-season total), and second in career-rushing touchdowns at Pitt (with the highest single-season total).
As he thrives in his eighth NFL season, coming off perhaps the best season of his NFL career, it’s a testament to his remarkable willpower in overcoming the roadblocks in his life on the way to a very successful NFL career.
And now, with the hard work he’s put in over his four seasons in Arizona, he’s staying for another couple of seasons. He’s nearing his 30th birthday, but he’s only gotten better during his time in the desert.
The Cardinals are sitting at 7-7, a game behind the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West, and James Conner will be a key figure in leading a playoff push through the second half of the season.
