Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner suffered a season-ending injury in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
James Conner Injured In Week 3
#AZCardinals come out for James Conner, who leaves on a cart. Conner is the team’s emotional bellwether. They are going to have to overcome that now. pic.twitter.com/rhenfurYyP
— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) September 21, 2025
Early in the third quarter of Sunday’s game, Conner suffered a devastating injury to his right foot. Both teams gathered around Conner due to the severity of the injury.
An emotional Conner was carted off the field.
Originally, it was reported that Conner required ankle surgery, but Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon announced Monday that Conner will need an operation on his right foot.
Conner is out for the season and will work to return in 2026.
“I feel terrible, but I know he’ll take the right attitude and bounce back,” Gannon said at the team’s press conference. “Picking up that slack, both the player and the person, we’re all going to have to collectively do it, truthfully. But that’s a bummer just like all of our guys who’ve gotten hurt. But just knowing what type of player and person he is it’s tough to replace, but we have to. So that’s what we’ll do.”
After spending his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Conner signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.
In 2021, Conner set his career high in rushing touchdowns with 15. Conner has rushed for 750+ yards and 7+ touchdowns in four consecutive seasons with Arizona.
Conner rushed for 22 yards on nine carries in Sunday’s 16-15 loss. The 30-year-old ends his 2025 campaign with 95 yards rushing and one rushing touchdown to go along with one receiving score.
The Cardinals held a 15-13 win over the 49ers with under two minutes to play. Quarterback Mac Jones led the 49ers on a 10-play, 63-yard drive that ended with an Eddy Pineiro 35-yard field goal on the final play to give San Francisco the 16-15 win.
It was Arizona’s first loss of the season.
How will the Cardinals’ offense replace James Conner?
HC Jonathan Gannon joins the media https://t.co/J0bji7tChd
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 22, 2025
With Conner out, the Cardinals will turn to backup Trey Benson as the new starter.
Benson rushed 10 times for 42 yards in relief of Conner.
On the season, Benson has a team-leading 125 yards on 21 carries in three games. Benson, the Cardinals’ 2024 third-round pick, will now have a chance to showcase his talent and prove that he can be the starter.
“He’ll be my motivation for the rest of the season,” Benson said about Conner via Cardinals.com. “I feel I’ll be ready for the task.”
Emari Demercado and Bam Knight will also rotate in with Benson in Conner’s absence.
The Cardinals (2-1) play the Seattle Seahawks (2-1) on Thursday Night Football.
