James Conner, Cardinals RB, Out with Ankle Injury: Season Over

James Conner Suffers Ankle Injury and Closes Season

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner suffered a right ankle injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season, according to reports. The injury occurred during Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Conner was carted off the field after a one-yard run with 12:26 remaining in the third quarter. The injury is considered “severe” and will require surgery. Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon commented after the game that he did not know the severity of the injury, as a prognosis had not yet been issued. The Cardinals are preparing for a short week before hosting the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. The players from both teams knelt as the coaches attended to Conner. The Cardinals’ bench players approached the field to see their captain.

He’s one of my best friends on the team. He was like an older brother to me, my mentor. He taught me a lot here, so it was tough to see him.

Trey Benson, backup running back

Quarterback Kyler Murray was visibly affected on the field while Conner was being attended to.

It’s unfortunate. Not only is he my teammate, I feel like he’s a brother. Seeing him go down like that, you never want to see that. I understand it’s part of the game, but it’s not ideal. All the work he puts in and who he is as a person, you don’t want to see him injured like that. Yeah, it’s tough. It’s everything, it means everything.

Kyler Murray, quarterback

Gannon emphasized that injuries are part of the game and that players must be prepared to overcome them. Before his injury, 30-year-old Conner had nine carries for 22 yards. He was coming off two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, something he achieved for the first time in his career. Conner signed a two-year extension in November 2024 that extends through the 2026 campaign. His base salary of $3.64 million for this year is injury guaranteed. With Conner out for the rest of the season, Benson is expected to take over the starting running back role, followed by Emari Demercado and Bam Knight. Arizona also has Michael Carter, who had 131 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries last season, on the practice squad. Arizona has had four running backs this season, with three available on game day.