Inside The Panthers

Mike Tomlin Praises Former Pitt RB

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has loads of respect for former Pitt Panthers tailback James Conner.

Stephen Thompson

Mike Tomlin Praises Former Pitt RB
Mike Tomlin Praises Former Pitt RB /
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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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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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