James Conner broke his foot in Week 3 of last season and missed the rest of the Cardinals’ campaign. Kavin Mistry / Getty Images
March 8, 2026Updated 4:40 pm EDT
Running back James Conner and the Arizona Cardinals have agreed to a reworked contract that will keep him with the franchise for the 2026 season, a league source told The Athletic.
Conner is coming off a foot injury that required surgery and ended his 2025 season after just three games. Before that, Conner, 30, was a consistent force for the Arizona offense.
Conner recorded a career-high 18 touchdowns (15 rushing, three receiving) in 2021, his first season with the Cardinals. He had back-to-back seasons with at least 1,000 rushing yards in 2023 and 2024 and signed a two-year extension with the team in November 2024.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Conner was a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cardinals, under new head coach Mike LaFleur, are entering a bit of a reset after moving on from quarterback Kyler Murray.
Conner’s brutal, season-ending foot injury suffered in Week 3 was not the only reason for last season’s struggles, but it was a factor in Arizona’s collapse. The Cardinals had hoped to run the football, and Conner was coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Perhaps more importantly, he was a team captain and a strong voice in the locker room. His work ethic and determination set the offensive tone. That was difficult to replace, especially once Arizona started losing.
Conner’s timetable from the foot injury is not known, but once healthy, he should provide stability to a running backs room that needs work. The Cardinals last season finished second-to-last in the league in rushing offense, averaging 93.1 yards per game. The offensive line failed to do its part, but after Conner’s injury, Arizona never found a replacement that could match his presence and production.
Mar 8, 2026
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