Mike Tomlin Praises Former Pitt RB
PITTSBURGH -- James Conner - a former Pitt Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers running back - is coming home this weekend as the Arizona Cardinals make the trip east to Western Pennsylvania this weekend and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is well aware of how important it will be for his team to bottle up Conner.
"We can't allow James Conner to do what James does," Tomlin said of his former third-round draft pick out of Pitt from 2017.
Despite a midseason stint on the injured reserve with a hurt hamstring, Conner has amassed 526 rushing yards on 104 carries for an average of 5.1 yards per carry. He's rushed for 65.8 yards per game, the second-highest mark of his career.
Having drafted him and coached Conner for four seasons, Tomlin is intimately familiar with what he brings to the table as a person and a runner.
"When he gets into the secondary, he’s tough to deal with," Tomlin said. "He’s a combative runner. He has a nose for the line to gain and the goal line — he has for his entire career. He’s always been a touchdown scorer.”
Tomlin has tons of respect for Conner, who has made a nice career for himself after the Steelers moved on from him in 2020 and he expects nothing but an all-out effort for Conner during a homecoming to Western Pennsylvania for the Erie native.
"Know and love and got a lot of respect for James," Tomlin said. "He is a legitimate tough guy, a big-time competitor. Expecting nothing but his absolute coming back into Pittsburgh because I know him."
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