James Conner (American football) facts for kids
Conner in 2023
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| No. 6 – Arizona Cardinals | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | May 5, 1995 Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 233 lb (106 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | McDowell (Millcreek Township, Pennsylvania) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Pittsburgh (2013–2016) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2017 / Round: 3 / Pick: 105 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
James Earl Conner (born May 5, 1995) is an American professional football player. He is a running back for the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the pros, he played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. In 2014, he was named a first-team All-American and won the ACC Player of the Year award. The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft.
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Growing Up: James Conner's Early Life
James Conner grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, and went to McDowell High School. He was a talented player on his high school football team. He played both as a running back and a defensive lineman. In his senior year, he ran for an amazing 1,680 yards and scored 26 touchdowns. In August 2012, he decided to play college football at the University of Pittsburgh.
College Football Star: Playing for Pittsburgh
First Year: Making a Big Splash (2013)
As a new student in 2013, James Conner played in almost all of the Panthers' games. In his very first college game against Florida State, he ran for 34 yards. The next week, he scored his first college touchdown against New Mexico. He finished that game with 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
In December 2013, Conner had a huge game in the Little Caesars Bowl. He ran for 226 yards and scored a touchdown, helping his team win. He was even named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the bowl game! He led his team with 799 rushing yards and eight touchdowns that season. His 229 rushing yards in the bowl game broke a school record.
Amazing Sophomore Season (2014)
Conner started his second year strong in 2014. In the first game, he ran for 153 yards and scored four touchdowns. Later that season, he had a career-best game against Duke, rushing for 263 yards and three touchdowns. In the next game, he ran for over 200 yards again and scored four more touchdowns.
In 2014, Conner rushed for an incredible 1,765 yards. He also set a new Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) record with 26 rushing touchdowns. He led the ACC in rushing yards and was recognized as one of the best players in college football. He was named the ACC Player of the Year and an All-American.
Tough Times: Injury and Illness (2015)
The 2015 season started with a challenge for James Conner. In the first game, he injured his MCL (a knee ligament). He had to miss the rest of his junior year.
While recovering from his injury, doctors found that he had Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer. But James was incredibly brave. He said, "I choose to not fear cancer... I will play football again." He went through 12 rounds of chemotherapy. Even during his treatment, he kept working out with his team when he could.
Back on the Field: A Strong Comeback (2016)
James Conner returned to the field in 2016 after beating cancer. In the first game, he scored a rushing touchdown. In the next game against Penn State, he ran for 117 yards and scored a rushing and a receiving touchdown.
Later that season, he had another great game against Virginia Tech, rushing for 141 yards and three touchdowns. In December 2016, James announced he would enter the 2017 NFL draft. This meant he would leave college early to try and play professional football.
Playing in the NFL: James Conner's Pro Journey
Getting Ready for the Pros: NFL Draft Prep
Before the NFL Draft, James Conner showed off his skills at the NFL Scouting Combine. Experts thought he would be picked in the later rounds of the draft. He was ranked among the top running backs available.
Pittsburgh Steelers: A New Chapter
The Pittsburgh Steelers chose James Conner in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the eighth running back picked that year. His jersey quickly became one of the most popular among fans!
First Year with the Steelers (2017)
In May 2017, James signed a four-year contract with the Steelers. He became the backup running back to star player Le'Veon Bell. James made his NFL debut against the Cleveland Browns, rushing for 11 yards. In December, he got injured and had to miss the rest of the season. He finished his first year with 144 rushing yards.
Becoming a Starter (2018)
In 2018, James Conner became the starting running back for the Steelers. In his first start, he ran for 135 yards and scored two touchdowns against the Browns. He also caught five passes for 47 yards. He had several more impressive games, including one with 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Browns.
For his amazing play, James was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week and Player of the Month for October. He was also chosen for the 2019 Pro Bowl, which is a huge honor! He finished the 2018 season with 973 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
Facing Challenges (2019)
In 2019, James Conner faced some injuries. In Week 2, he scored his first rushing touchdown of the year but then injured his knee. He returned later in the season and had a great game against the Miami Dolphins, rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown. He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance. Despite injuries, he still had 464 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Dealing with COVID-19 (2020)
The 2020 season brought new challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. James Conner started the season with an ankle injury. But he bounced back in Week 2, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown. He had several more games with over 100 rushing yards. In November, he tested positive for COVID-19 and had to miss some time. He finished the season with 721 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
Arizona Cardinals: A New Team
Joining the Cardinals (2021)
In April 2021, James Conner signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. He quickly became a key player for his new team. In Week 9, he had an incredible game against the San Francisco 49ers, gaining 173 total yards and scoring three touchdowns.
He finished the season as the Cardinals' top rusher with 752 yards. He also scored a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns, which was one of the best in the entire league! For his outstanding performance, he was named to the 2022 Pro Bowl again.
Continuing to Shine (2022)
In March 2022, James Conner signed a new three-year contract with the Cardinals. He continued to be a strong force in their offense. In Week 12, he ran for 120 yards and scored a receiving touchdown. He finished the 2022 season with 782 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He also caught 46 passes for 300 receiving yards.
Breaking Records (2023)
In 2023, James Conner had another strong season, even after dealing with a knee injury that sidelined him for a few weeks. He came back strong in Week 13 against his old team, the Steelers, rushing for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
In Week 18, he had a career-high 150 rushing yards against the Seattle Seahawks. This amazing performance helped him reach over 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career! He finished the 2023 season with 1,040 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in just 13 games.
Another Great Season (2024)
In November 2024, James Conner signed a new two-year contract extension with the Cardinals. He continued to play at a high level. In Week 2, he ran for 122 yards and a touchdown. He had several more games with over 100 scrimmage yards (rushing and receiving combined). He played a career-high 16 games before a knee injury in Week 18. He finished the season with 1,094 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Personal Life: Beyond the Field
James Conner was raised by his parents, Kelly Patterson and Glen Conner Sr. He is the youngest of five brothers. He studied communication while at Pitt. His brother, Glen Jr., also plays football for a local team.
On December 4, 2015, James shared that he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. This was a very tough time, but James showed incredible courage. He famously said, "I choose to not fear cancer... I will play football again." He went through chemotherapy treatments. During this time, he met Kansas City Chiefs player Eric Berry, who also overcame Hodgkin's lymphoma. Eric was a big inspiration to James.
On May 23, 2016, James Conner announced on Twitter that he was cancer-free! This was a huge moment for him and his fans.
During his time with the Steelers, James started growing a mullet hairstyle. It became very popular with Steeler fans and showed his fun personality.
