Player
James Conner
RB
Conner's 62 rushing TDs over 9 seasons rank him among the most productive goal-line backs of his era — remarkable for a player who nearly never made it to the NFL after a cancer diagnosis at age 20.
9-year career, 4 with Pittsburgh and 5 with Arizona. 6,121 rushing yards, 62 TDs — and a Hodgkin's-lymphoma survivor.
MilestoneCareer regular-season totals (through 2025 Wk 3)
| Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Games | 110 |
| Carries | 1,408 |
| Rushing Yards | 6,121 |
| Rushing TDs | 62 |
| Receptions | 295 |
Why it matters. Conner's 62 rushing TDs over 9 seasons rank him among the most productive goal-line backs of his era — remarkable for a player who nearly never made it to the NFL after a cancer diagnosis at age 20.
2018 PIT breakout: stepped in for Le'Veon Bell's holdout — 973 rush yards, 55 catches, 13 TDs, Pro Bowl.
TrendConner production by year
| Year | Tm | Rush Yds | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | PIT | 973 | 13 |
| 2019 | PIT | 464 | 7 |
| 2020 | PIT | 758 | 7 |
| 2021 | ARI | 771 | 19 |
| 2022 | ARI | 782 | 8 |
| 2023 | ARI | 1,040 | 9 |
| 2024 | ARI | 1,094 | 9 |
Rushing yards by year
| Season | Yards |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 973 |
| 2019 | 464 |
| 2020 | 758 |
| 2021 | 771 |
| 2022 | 782 |
| 2023 | 1040 |
| 2024 | 1094 |
Why it matters. The Bell holdout turned an unknown backup into a Pro Bowler overnight — and Conner's late-career resurgence with Arizona (back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at 28-29) reframes the story: he peaked after leaving Pittsburgh.
2021 ARI: 16 rush TDs on just 771 yards — 7.77% TD-per-carry rate, best among all 150+ carry RBs that year.
Rare2021 RB TD-per-carry rate (150+ carries)
| RB | Rush TDs | Rush Yds | TD% |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Conner | 16 | 771 | 7.77% |
| Damien Harris | 15 | 959 | 7.11% |
| Austin Ekeler | 12 | 911 | 5.83% |
| Jonathan Taylor | 18 | 1,811 | 5.42% |
| Derrick Henry | 11 | 999 | 4.60% |
Why it matters. Conner's red-zone efficiency in 2021 was historically elite — he was essentially a goal-line specialist disguised as a starter, converting at a rate 43% higher than the next-best qualified back that season.
PIT (2017-20): 2,339 rushing yards in 49 games. ARI (2021-present): 3,782 yards in 61 games.
ComparisonConner team splits
| Stop | Yrs | G | Rush Yds |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIT | 2017-20 | 49 | 2,339 |
| ARI | 2021-25 | 61 | 3,782 |
Why it matters. Conner's Arizona arc flips expectations — veterans rarely improve after switching to a weaker team, yet his two best rushing seasons came in years 7 and 8 of his career with Arizona.
As a receiving RB he's caught 295 passes for 2,290 yards — solid 3rd-down work without dominating it.
SplitConner passing-game role
| Year | Rec | Rec Yds |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 55 | 497 |
| 2020 | 40 | 245 |
| 2023 | 27 | 165 |
| 2024 | 47 | 414 |
Why it matters. For a 230-lb between-the-tackles runner, consistent pass-catching ability (47 catches at age 28) extends his value in two-back sets and keeps him on the field on third downs — a rarer combo than the numbers suggest.
Cancer survivor at 20 — beat Hodgkin lymphoma in 2015 to play his senior year at Pitt and reach the NFL.
AnomalyConner's comeback arc
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Nov 2015 | Diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma |
| May 2016 | Declared cancer-free |
| 2016 | Returned to Pitt, 1,092 rush yds |
| 2017 | Drafted 3rd rd by PIT |
| 2018 | Pro Bowl |
Why it matters. Conner's cancer-to-Pro Bowl arc is the rarest kind of comeback story in NFL history — a player who nearly lost his life before his career started, then peaked a decade later.
FanIQ answers any NFL stats question with receipts, on your phone.
Get FanIQ freeGet it on Google Play