The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t get a shot at potentially bringing back running back James Conner after all.
Identified as a cut candidate early in the NFL offseason, Conner agreed to revise his contract with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. That will allow him to return to the team for the 2026 season.
Conner has one year remaining on the 2-year, $19 million extension he signed in November 2024.
“The Cardinals and two-time Pro Bowl RB James Conner have agreed to a revised contract to keep him in Arizona for 2026, sources say,” wrote Pelissero on X.
“Conner played just three games last season because an ankle injury. But he’ll be back at age 31.”
In his original contract, Conner was poised to make $6.39 million and have a $9.83 million cap hit.
The revisions to the contract remain unknown. But the changes are enough to prevent the Cardinals from releasing Conner for cap savings.
Arizona has $48 million in cap space according to Spotrac. But the Cardinals could have created more room with a Conner release.
NFL free agency begins with the legal tampering period at 12 pm ET on Monday. Players can begin signing with their new teams at 4 pm ET on Wednesday.
Conner has played the past five seasons for Arizona after beginning his career with the Steelers. When analysts predicted the Cardinals could release Conner, pundits suggested the Steelers as a potential destination for the veteran running back.
The 30-year-old was a very popular player for the Steelers from 2017-20. He also starred as a college football player for the Pitt Panthers.
Former Steelers RB James Conner Staying With Cardinals
The bad news from the Steelers perspective with Conner remaining in Arizona is it all but guarantees he will play longer for the Cardinals than Steelers. That could be disappointing for Conner’s longest fans, who have been following his career since Pennsylvania high school football.
But they are undoubtably happy for the veteran running back as well. Conner will get at least one more season where he’s called home for half a decade.
Conner made the Pro Bowl during his first season with the Cardinals in 2021. That was his second NFL season with at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
The veteran then eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in 2023. He repeated the feat during 2024.
Last season, Conner played just three games. In Week 3, he suffered a season-ending right ankle injury.
The ailment only fueled speculation that Conner was done in Arizona. But he will get a chance to help new head coach Matt LaFleur rebuild the offense with a new quarterback.
What Will Steelers Do at RB in 2026 NFL Free Agency?
While it won’t be Conner, the Steelers could be in the market for a free agent running back this offseason. That’s because the team may lose team MVP Kenneth Gainwell to free agency.
On a 1-year contract in 2025, Gainwell set career highs with 537 rushing yards, 486 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns. Gainwell also led the Steelers with 73 receptions and averaged 4.7 yards per carry.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan expressed during the NFL combine the team would like Gainwell to return. But since then, pundits have reported the running back is expected to sign elsewhere in free agency.
The good news is there are a lot of quality running backs set to be available in NFL free agency. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper rated eight running backs on his list of top 100 free agents for 2026.
Gainwell came in at No. 103 on the list.
The Steelers have running backs Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson returning on the 2026 roster. Warren was Pittsburgh’s lead back last season while Johnson was a third-round rookie.
If Gainwell doesn’t return, the Steelers could elect to have Johnson play a much bigger role in 2026.
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