Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner, a McDowell High School and University of Pittsburgh great, always believed he could play in the NFL.
“Truthfully, ever since I was at McDowell my goal has always been to be in the NFL,” Conner said. “As crazy as it might seem to some people, I’ve always believed that it would happen and now we’re eight years in.”
Conner helped share that belief Saturday as he hosted 500 young athletes for a youth football camp at McDowell in Millcreek Township. Younger players ran drills in the morning session with older players taking the field after lunch. Conner’s friends, family and former teammates helped register players, run drills and keep campers hydrated as groups shuttled through stations in the sweltering heat.
Conner kept moving from drill to drill, stopping to coach a few players at a time or to demonstrate proper techniques. And the end of the sessions, he took a photo with each small group of players and signed every camper’s shirt.
This year’s featured speaker at the Northwestern Pennsylvania High School Sports Awards show won’t need an introduction.
Conner will be the featured speaker at the Northwestern Pennsylvania High School Sports Awards show Monday at Warner Theatre. Tickets for the live event, presented by AHN Sports Medicine at Saint Vincent and scheduled for 7 p.m., can still be purchased at erieevents.com.
Conner at the Warner:NFL running back, Erie native to speak at 2024 Northwestern Pa. high school awards show
On the playing field, Conner has never been a backup for very long. As he filled cups of water and Gatorade, older brother Richard Conner said James has been qualified to compete at every level on the football field. James has three older brothers, so he was always competing with bigger, faster athletes while growing up. While surrounded by talent at McDowell, Pitt, the Steelers and now the Cardinals, Conner’s abilities and work ethic have made him impossible to keep on the sidelines.
“James has just always been the man,” his brother said. “Never been anybody’s backup, really, just always ready to go.”
Greg Wohlford can be reached at gwohlford@timesnews.com.

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