When the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, there’s going to see a familiar face on the opposite sideline. That would be RB James Conner, who was taken by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He played his first four seasons with the Steelers, becoming the team’s primary back in his second season, earning a Pro Bowl nod while starting in place of RB Le’Veon Bell, who held out the entire season.
The Steelers decided to not bring Conner back after his contract was up in 2021, allowing him to sign with the Arizona Cardinals. That decision wasn’t due to Conner’s character or lack of fit with the franchise as he represented what it meant to be a Steeler to a tee. That’s the way RB Coach and interim OC Eddie Faulkner sees it, having coached Conner from 2019-2020.
“I love that guy,” Faulkner said to the media Thursday via 93.7 The Fan’s X Page. “How can you not? I love his story. I love how he comes to work every day, he’s a competitor, he’s tough. I love JC.”
Faulkner got to coach Conner in his final two seasons with the Steelers, having had quite the journey to that point. He was named the ACC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American at Pitt in 2014 after having breakout sophomore season, carrying the ball 298 times for 1,765 yards (5.9 YPC) and 26 touchdowns. He came back in 2015 looking to be one of the top backs in the upcoming draft class but tore his MCL during the Panthers’ season opening 45–37 victory over Youngstown State, missing the rest of the season. Conner was also diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma while rehabbing his knee injury, having to undergo cancer treatments as well as finishing the rehab process. Conner made a full recovery from both, coming back as the starter his senior year and toted the rock 216 times for 1,092 yards (5.1 YPC) and 16 touchdowns while posting 21 receptions for 302 yards and four more scores.
Conner sat his first season behind Bell in Pittsburgh but jumped into a feature-back role in his second season. He would serve as Pittsburgh’s lead back for three seasons, giving the Steelers a bruising runner between the tackles as well as an effective short-yardage/goal-line back while also being a capable receiver out of the backfield. Conner dealt with numerous injuries during his time in a Steelers uniform, causing him to miss at least three games every season while playing hurt and less than 100% in plenty of others.
Conner was cast off by Pittsburgh after looking run down in 2020, with fans clamoring for Jaylen Samuels to play over him at points during the year. He went to Arizona in 2021 and looked rejuvenated out in the desert, going over 1,000 total scrimmage yards while scoring 18 total touchdowns to earn his second Pro Bowl nod.
Conner is a Pittsburgher through-and-through, having been born and raised in Erie, Pa., and attending the University of Pitt. He embodies what it means to be Pittsburgh tough, having overcome so much adversity that is well-documented in his autobiography — I highly recommend you read it — being the consummate professional and teammate you could ask for. Faulkner has nothing but found memories of his former protégé and the heart he played with for Pittsburgh, knowing he’ll bring that same energy on Sunday as a member of the Cardinals. Expect to see Faulkner and plenty other of Steelers catch up with Conner before and after the game, reconnecting with a former teammate and a man who has left his impact on the Steel City.
