He hasn’t been a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers or a resident of the Steel City since 2020, but Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner, who is set to return to Acrisure Stadium for the first time in three seasons, still feels the love from Western Pennsylvania.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday ahead of the Cardinals’ road trip to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers Sunday at 1 p.m. in Week 13, Conner stated that all these years later, he still feels the love from the fanbase and the city that he went through so much with, on and off the field.
“Yeah, I feel the love for sure. It’s a lot of love there in the city. I got a lot of respect for the people there and just love for them taking a chance, taking an opportunity when I was coming out. I was dealing with all types of injuries and cancer and everything, and the Steelers still selected me. And so, I’m forever grateful for that,” Conner said to reporters Wednesday, according to video via the Cardinals’ YouTube page.
“And then obviously the University of Pittsburgh, it’s one of the few schools that gave me a scholarship, so I got nothing but love, and the people. Yeah, it’s all loved there.”
Conner was a third-round pick of the Steelers in the 2017 NFL Draft, making quite the storyline for not only himself but the Steelers’ franchise at the moment of the selection. Just two years prior, Conner was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma during the rehab process for a knee injury he suffered in a game against Youngstown State.
That knee injury ended up saving his life as he immediately underwent chemotherapy for the cancer and was later declared cancer-free ahead of the 2016 season. Returning to the field in 2016 with the Panthers, Conner put together a strong season, rushing for 1,092 yards and 16 touchdowns, eventually putting him on the NFL radar.
The Steelers made sure he never left the Steel City, landing him as a backup to then-star running back Le’Veon Bell for the 2017 season.
But ahead of the 2018 season, Bell refused to sign the franchise tag tender and then ended up sitting out the entire season. Conner, to his credit, seized upon the opportunity, rushing for 973 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding another 55 receptions for 497 yards, leading to a Pro Bowl berth in his first season as a starter.
After that, Conner was the unquestioned starter in Pittsburgh. But he struggled with injuries in 2019 before then bouncing back to rush for 721 yards in 2020. Ultimately, the Steelers decided to reshape the running back room after that season, letting Conner walk, and drafting Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Conner has since gone on to establish himself as a clear-cut No. 1 option in Arizona, scoring 28 total touchdowns and counting in his two-plus seasons in the desert.
Now, this will be his first return to the Steel City since leaving as a free agent. He still feels the love, and he undoubtedly will feel the love in person on Sunday when he is announced. He was a fan-favorite during his time in the Black and Gold and still remains a fan-favorite for many even while playing for another franchise.
Can’t wait to see Conner back in the Steel City, even if it’s in a different team’s uniform.
