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Arizona Cardinals Star Receives Career-Altering News After Gruesome Ankle Injury

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 10:01 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals got off a to a quick 2-0 start to the season, but many fans were skeptical about their true potential because of the talent level they faced and their offensive struggles.

Those critics were proven correct today after Arizona dropped a winnable game to the San Francisco 49ers, who were without starting quarterback Brock Purdy.

The Cardinals lost on a game-winning field goal as time expired, but as disheartening as it was, it was the least of their worries.

Running back James Conner suffered a horrific ankle injury in the third quarter and had to be carted off the field before quickly being ruled out.

Arizona’s worst fears were confirmed Sunday night when ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced that Conner will miss the rest of the season, but the team still doesn’t know the full extent.

Cardinals RB James Conner did in fact suffer a season-ending injury to his right ankle that will require surgery, per source. The injury is considered “severe”, even if the team does not yet know the full extent of the damage. pic.twitter.com/IMktQeYBoz
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2025

That type of injury would be devastating for anyone, but more so for Conner, who is now 30-years old. The last few seasons of his career had been littered with injuries, and now after this latest one, he will likely never be the same player again.

There haven’t been many healthy running backs who have sustained elite levels of play into their thirties, so it’s hard to believe someone who is hurt as often as Conner could break that trend.

The Cardinals are in one of the most competitive divisions in football, so they’ll be at an extreme disadvantage going forward without their star running back.

They’ll need quarterback Kyler Murray to shoulder the load and prove the chemistry he supposedly built with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. this offseason exists.

Arizona has the talent to replace Conner, but they’ll need it to emerge quickly before the losses begin to pile up. There’s a possibility they get him back next season, but even if they do, he will be a shell of what he once was.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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