James Conner hit the 1,000-yard mark twice at Pitt, and now he’s hit the 1,000-yard twice with the Arizona Cardinals.
With a 117-yard performance in a loss to the Carolina Panthers, Conner hit the 1,000-yard plateau and set a new career-high with 1,090 yards this season. He’s carried the ball 232 times for 1,090 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns this season.
He also hauled in four passes for 49 yards, leading the team, to push his season totals to 45 receptions for 410 yards and another touchdown.
He set a new career high, with a couple of games left this season, and he needs just one more touchdown to tie for second in Cardinals history. He did suffer a knee injury in the second half against the Panthers.
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.
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 James Conner has 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.
