James Conner came to the Steelers last season dragging one large emotional story line with him, and that tale might be growing.
Who should know that more than the author of one of the team’s most moving stories over the past few years, tackle Alejandro Villanueva?
“I think with his background and his story — being from Erie and having overcome the challenge of cancer — he could be someone really special for this city,’’ Villanueva was saying Saturday.
Add in the fact he played at Pitt and practiced at the same UPMC Rooney Sports Complex as the Steelers, and the beginning of a book or movie was set.
But only the beginning. The rest would be up to the halfback to write, and his rookie season was not much of a page-turner. Conner was limited by a hamstring injury in his first spring with the team. He had an early shoulder injury in training camp.
And while he was the top backup to Le’Veon Bell, Conner carried just 32 times last season and did not catch a pass. It all ended one week before Christmas when he left the 14th game of the season against New England with a torn MCL that required surgery, his second for such an injury in three seasons.
It was not a memorable start to his pro career, but the next chapter is unfolding in what could be a big way.
Conner ripped through the Green Bay Packers early Thursday night for his second consecutive impressive preseason start — his only starts so far with the Steelers. He ran five times for 57 yards, much of it through the interior of a line that has grown impressed with him.
“That second-year jump is always the biggest, the second lap around the track kind of thing,’’ guard David DeCastro said.
“He came in in great shape, which is the best thing he could do, even coming off an injury, which is impressive and the important thing. The rest he’s making look easy.”
Added center Maurkice Pouncey, “I thought he looked great last year. I just think this year he’s maybe in a little more shape. He’s always run the ball really, really hard, his style of running. I think he just took more of a commitment to get in shape.”
Through two preseason games, Conner has nine carries for 82 yards, a 9.1 average per carry. His style differs from Bell’s; there is no hesitation, no patience, just explosion. The Steelers list Conner at the same height and weight — 6 feet 1, 233 pounds — as last season but he’s obviously reshaped his frame. At Pitt, he was 6-1, 250 before the 12 chemotherapy treatments to fight his Hodgkin lymphoma.
His final treatment came May 9, 2016. He played that fall at Pitt, and the Steelers drafted him in the third round in 2017. Then came his rookie season.
It’s not hard to imagine that, just one year removed from enduring the strength-sapping chemo treatments, perhaps Conner could not get into the best shape last year. This could be the first time he returns to full strength since 2014.
It’s also a natural for NFL players to improve dramatically in their second season.
“Anytime you get a little older, the game slows down,’’ DeCastro noted. “As a rookie, things happen so fast and you’re just trying to stay above water. You can see clearly and the holes become a little bigger. You know what to expect. You play fast. You can’t be thinking too much, you just have to go.”
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Villanueva sees the same determination from Conner he saw as a rookie, as those who saw in him at Pitt both before and after his cancer treatments, which put the disease in complete remission.
“Last year, he was extremely eager to get on the field and play and, when he was on the field, he was making a lot of plays,’’ said Villanueva, who noticed no difference in his running style between last year and this.
“I think that’s his style of running, his personality, his signature move. He’s an aggressive running back.
“That’s obviously something you can build around.”
Conner could well be the runner they build around next season when Bell is playing somewhere else. Yet, there is still 2018 to go, and Conner is making his pitch on the field to be more than a 32-carry back this season.
Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com and Twitter @EdBouchette.
First Published: August 18, 2018, 9:21 p.m.