The Arizona Cardinals stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, beating the home squad 24-10 in a messy, weather-delayed game to improve to 3-10 on the season while dropping Pittsburgh to 7-5. The Cardinals relied on former Steelers RB James Conner to lead the charge on the ground, and Connor pieced together his best performance of the season against his former team, carrying the ball 25 times for 105 yards (4.2 YPC) and two touchdowns.
CBS sideline reporter Melanie Collins caught up with Conner following the game to ask him about his stellar performance in return to the city that he used to call home. Conner was emotional addressing in the postgame interview, reminiscing the journey that took him from playing football at Erie McDowell High School in the Pittsburgh area to his time with Pitt, the Steelers, and now the Cardinals.
“I’m just so thankful to God,” Conner said to Collins via video from NFL on CBS’ X page. “I had this vision to come home, receive good love, and let God do the rest. I prepare hard… I always prepare hard, and only God can do this.”
Conner 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. He earned 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. He resurrected his career in the desert, going to the Pro Bowl in his first season with the team after recording 18 total touchdowns in 2021.
Still, Conner doesn’t have any ill will toward the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh, both of which will forever hold a special place in his heart.
“It’s special,” Conner said. “Coming to the University of Pittsburgh… just [trying to] figure it all out. Having the end goal in mind of the NFL and not knowing how I was going to get there, but it all started on this field. And then to have a four-year run with the Steelers, and I’ll never take that for granted. Just thankful to be back…special energy in this place.”
Conner is an easy person to root for, regardless of what team you may support. He is a first-class human being who has overcome so much to make his NFL dreams come true. He tore his MCL during the Pitt Panther’ 2015 season opener, 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, putting together a strong season in 2016. He got drafted by his hometown team and represented the city of Pittsburgh for four years.
You never want to see your favorite team lose. But when a guy like Conner is a big reason for the outcome of the game, all you can do is tip your cap to him and all that he’s overcome and accomplished in his time here as well as returning and having a big game in a place that he called home for eight years of his football life.
