Pittsburgh Steelers fans have already had to deal with seeing former leading rusher and 2021 first-round pick Najee Harris go down with an apparent Achilles injury on Sunday, and now another fan-favorite seems to have suffered a scary injury of his own.
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner suffered a gruesome-looking leg injury in the third quarter of their game against the San Francisco 49ers. It's too early to truly know the extent of the injury, but it was bad enough for the cart to be needed to take him off the field.
It's a tough break for both the Cardinals and their bell-cow back, as Conner has been nothing but excellent in his five seasons for Arizona. Without him in the fold, second-year back Trey Benson is expected to take over as the team's lead runner.
James Conner joins Najee Harris as former Pittsburgh Steelers' running backs to go down in Week 3
To see both Harris and Conner go down with massive injuries is a solemn reminder of what can happen in the NFL. No matter how big, fast, or strong a player may be, the rigors of playing at the highest level of football always come with major risk.
Harris has never missed a game in his NFL career, and Conner has played in at least 10 games every year of his now nine-year career. Both of those streaks seem likely to end following their respective leg injuries.
Harris is younger (27 compared to 30 for Conner) and could certainly bounce back, but it will be no guarantee if it is indeed an Achilles tear. Conner's prognosis is less clear as of writing, but the replay suggests a long road to recovery.
With over 13,000 scrimmage yards and 106 career touchdowns between them, it would be a shame for these former Steelers to see their NFL lives ended in such a disappointing fashion. Both seemed to have plenty left in the tank, with Conner even getting a short extension from the Cardinals this offseason.
Only time will tell if either can recover fully and resume their career, but I am sure that plenty of Steelers fans will be cheering for them to do so. Once a Steeler, always a Steeler.