Leading up to his return to Pittsburgh after three seasons away, Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner felt the love from the Steel City and was looking forward to playing inside Acrisure Stadium again in front of family and friends.
On Sunday, he turned in a season-best performance.
Conner, in front of 20 family and friends, rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, helping power the Cardinals to a 24-10 win over the Steelers.
After the win, Conner was emotional on the field in an interview with CBS sideline reporter Melanie Collins, thanking God. Then, in the locker room Conner received the game ball from Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon.
“It was special. It’s special. I don’t know, I’m not sure,” Conner said to reporters following the win over the Steelers when asked if it was the best game ball he’s ever received, according to video via the Cardinals’ YouTube page.
It’s no surprise that the Cardinals gave Conner the game ball after the win over the Steelers. Conner spent four seasons in Pittsburgh and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2018, his second season in the league. He was a fan favorite and a tremendous story, having beaten cancer in college and then getting drafted by his hometown team.
But, after his remarkable 2018 season Conner struggled with injuries, leading to the Steelers moving on from him after the 2020 season and selecting running back Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Conner went to Arizona on a one-year, prove-it deal and proved it. He went to the Pro Bowl that season, leading the league in rushing touchdowns.
That led to a three-year extension with the Cardinals, where he’s become a key offensive piece in the desert.
Though he’s a Cardinal now, his return was special.
“Everything about this place, man, is just special,” Conner said. “I was a baby at the University of Pittsburgh, 18 years old, with a goal of mine of getting to the NFL, not knowing how I was gonna do it, but just trying to figure it out as I got here in Heinz Field, or, well now it’s Acrisure now. It’s just where it started, so special energy in here for sure.”
There is no denying it’s a special place for Conner. It always will be. He went through life-changing moments in Pittsburgh, from his college days to his cancer treatment, reaching the NFL, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl and truly making it in the NFL.
Fans showed the love all week for Conner. Though he was focused on preparing for a big matchup against the Steelers, he took the time to feel the love, smell the roses and really soak in the moment, even interacting with old coaches, teammates and Acrisure Stadium security staff with whom he developed relationships.
“Yeah, just everybody, man. Old teammates, security throughout the building, the staff over there. My old coaches, just told ’em how much I appreciate ’em all,” Conner said. “They was huge for me in my journey with the lessons that I learned being a Steeler. So valuable. So I just take with me to this day. But yeah, a lot of love throughout everybody around here.”
Conner heard the love from fans pre-game, too.
“I was really locked in,” he said, “but I heard a couple, ‘Let’s go JCs.'”
Special place for him, special moment returning to where it all started, and a special performance from one of the great individuals in the sport.
