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Cardinals RB James Conner ankle injury is seen as season ending

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 10:20 PM ET

GLENDALE – Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner suffered a serious lower body injury in the third quarter of the Week 3 game vs. the San Francisco 49ers. On a second-and-one run, Conner was able to secure the first down, but the tackle contorted the 30-year-old’s top half away from his bottom half, causing his ankle to bend unnatural.

Conner immediately reacted to the pain, with his Arizona teammates visually upset from the injury. Details have been sacred, but ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss has a source that stated that Conner’s injury is likely season-ending.

Weinfuss on Cardinals star running back going down:

A source told ESPN that they assume James Conner's right ankle injury is severe enough to end his season but an official prognosis hasn't been made yet.

— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) September 22, 2025

The five-year Cardinals running back has been the engine of the offense for the past half decade. His slow start to 2025 seemed to start to turn around, as the amount of touches Conner saw in Week 3 was an encouraging sight. However, the roster will be forced to pivot to its backup option of Trey Benson and Emari Demercado.

The injury bug has gotten Arizona good to start the year, losing top players to IR on the defensive side, but now get its first significant loss on the offensive side of the ball. Many Cardinals players have gone on social media to show their support for Conner and will likely dedicate the team’s season to him.

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

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