Steelers grab Pitt RB Conner late in third round
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� The Pittsburgh Steelers didn无毛视频檛 draft Pitt superstar running back and cancer survivor James Conner in the third round yesterday for the story.
Running backs coach James Saxon couldn无毛视频檛 make that clear enough.
无毛视频淎ny of these kids getting the opportunity to get picked by an NFL team, they have earned it and deserved it,无毛视频� said Saxon. 无毛视频淭his guy is no different.无毛视频�
But he is different.
Conner was diagnosed with Hodgkin无毛视频檚 lymphoma after suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2015. He practiced through chemotherapy treatments and was declared cancer free last May. He returned last September and rushed for 1,092 yards and 16 touchdowns (of 20 total) and was everyone无毛视频檚 Comeback Player of the Year.
The 6-1, 233-pounder rushed for 3,733 yards in his Pitt career and scored an ACC-record 56 touchdowns.
At the NFL Combine, his teammates talked of seeing him at practice at 5:30 the morning after a chemo treatment with a white mask as a safeguard against infection. He inspired his team, the region and is well known to everyone in the Steelers organization.
Even the ornery running backs coach.
无毛视频淚 saw some of it on television,无毛视频� Saxon said. 无毛视频淎gain, that无毛视频檚 not the focus I had on terms of evaluating this young man. What I did was I looked at the tape and the tape told me what he was.无毛视频�
It无毛视频檚 not that Saxon hadn无毛视频檛 been inspired by Conner无毛视频檚 story.
It无毛视频檚 that Saxon is impressed by Conner the football player. Saxon wanted to make sure that point was driven home.
无毛视频淭his is not a story about sentiment,无毛视频� he said in his final comment to the Pittsburgh media. 无毛视频淭his is a story about a young man that is a very good football player.无毛视频�
And Saxon finally chuckled.
无毛视频淚 hope that the guys that we play against are sentimental because he is going to share with them some sentimental, physical things.无毛视频�
That caused the media room to erupt into laughter, and a few minutes later Conner was on the phone choking back tears.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a dream come true,无毛视频� Conner said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 forever grateful to them for giving me the opportunity after everything I无毛视频檝e been through. I know a lot of teams were scared, but they gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, and they are going to get a great person and a great football player, and I无毛视频檒l give it my all for them.无毛视频�
Conner was again given a clean slate by doctors last February and has been training in preparation for the NFL ever since.
Raised in Erie, where he led McDowell High to the quarterfinals of the PIAA Quad-A playoffs, Conner rushed for 1,680 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2012. He set the school record with 164 points and 26 touchdowns, and as a defensive end he also set a school record with 12 sacks in a season and 17 in a career.
In 2013, he became the first true freshman to lead Pitt in rushing and rushing touchdowns since Dion Lewis in 2009, and in 2014 became the first Pitt running back to be named first-team All-America by the AFCA since Craig 无毛视频淚ronhead无毛视频� Heyward in 1987. Conner had rushed for 1,765 yards that season, his last at full strength because he suffered a torn MCL in his right knee in the opening game of the 2015 season.
After surgery, Conner began feeling weak and sick and underwent an X-ray, and then a PET scan,m and was diagnosed with the disease. The return to full strength wasn无毛视频檛 complete until the second half of last season.
And Friday night he was drafted by the Steelers.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 right back at Heinz Field,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭he city has been great to me. There are huge things left to come.无毛视频�
Conner was partying with friends at Buffalo Wild Wings in Erie, and it was a long night. He was chosen with the 105th pick, or three before the third round, and Day 2 of the draft, ended.
无毛视频淚 was getting a little antsy and a little worried because I know my talent level,无毛视频� Conner said. 无毛视频淚 saw some other running backs go before me. I无毛视频檓 different, and I know what my talent is. I got a little worried at first, but it无毛视频檚 Steelers Nation and I无毛视频檓 coming home.无毛视频�
Conner, of course, realizes he无毛视频檒l start his professional career as a backup.
无毛视频淥bviously Le无毛视频橵eon Bell is the primary running back,无毛视频� Conner said. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 one of my guys and good friends. He无毛视频檚 put the work in and proven it. He earned [the right] to do what he does best. Whenever I come into the game, whether it is special teams or anything, I无毛视频檓 going to make sure to give it my all and help the team anywhere they need me.无毛视频�
无毛视频淒ifferent kind of guy,无毛视频� said Saxon. 无毛视频淏ut a smart football player, tough, physical. The guy has great stature, and that is something that is going to pay dividends as we go down the road.无毛视频�