The Arizona Cardinals are keeping their running back for two more years.
The Arizona Cardinals announced a two-year contract extension for James Conner today.
From the team:
The Arizona Cardinals Football Club today announced that the team has signed running back James Conner to a two-year contract extension that keeps the two-time Pro Bowler under contract through the 2026 season. The signing took place today at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe, AZ.
Below are some of the key highlights from Conner’s (6-1, 233) career:
· Conner originally signed with the Cardinals as a free agent in 2021 following four seasons (2017-20) with Pittsburgh. In his career, the 29-year old has appeared in 102 games (76 starts) during the regular season and has 5,581 rushing yards and 56 TDs on 1,291 carries (4.3-yard avg.) to go along with 2,091 receiving yards and 10 TDs on 263 receptions. He entered the league with the Steelers as a third-round selection (105th overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft from the University of Pittsburgh.
· This season, Conner has run for 705 yards and added 288 receiving yards, giving him 993 total scrimmage yards in 2024. When he hits 1,000 scrimmage yards, he will become the first player in team history with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in each of his first four seasons with the team. Conner would also join WR Larry Fitzgerald (5 straight) as the only players in franchise history with at least four consecutive seasons of 1,000 scrimmage yards.
· Conner’s 40 total TDs (32 rushing/8 receiving) during his time in Arizona are tied for the second most in Cardinals history in a player’s first 52 games with the team. His 34 rushing TDs in 52 games with the Cardinals are the third most in team history and his 3,269 rushing yards are the 10th most in franchise history.
· Only five NFL players have scored more TDs (40) than Conner since he joined the Cardinals in 2021.
· Conner ran for a career-high 1,040 yards and seven TDs on 208 carries (5.0-yard avg.) in 13 games in 2023, marking his first career 1,000-yard rushing season. He also had 165 receiving yards and two TDs on 27 receptions.
· Voted a team captain each of the last three seasons (2022-24), Conner earned his second career Pro Bowl selection in 2021 after totaling 1,127 scrimmage yards (752 rushing, 375 receiving) and a career-high 18 total touchdowns (15 rushing, 3 receiving). He became just the fifth Cardinals RB in team history to be named to the Pro Bowl in his first season with the team.
· Conner has scored 17 TDs vs. divisional opponents since joining the Cardinals in 2021, the most by any NFL player against his own division.
· His 18 touchdowns in 2021 were the second-most in franchise history in a single season and ranked third in the NFL that year. Conner’s 15 rushing touchdowns in 2021 tied for second in the NFL and were the second-highest single-season total in team history.
· Conner tied a franchise record for the longest streak of consecutive games with a TD (rushing or receiving) by doing it in seven straight games in 2021 (Games 7-12) and matching that over the final five games of 2023 and first two games of 2024.
Congratulations to Conner on a well deserved extension.