Cardinals' James Conner Reportedly Out for Season with Ankle Injury, Will Have Surgery

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner will reportedly miss the rest of the season after suffering an ankle injury during Sunday's 16-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Conner had to be carted off the field after suffering the injury:

He was officially listed as out for the remainder of the game with an ankle injury.

The 30-year-old Conner has been an important fixture for Arizona's offense in recent years, with back-to-back seasons rushing for over 1,000 yards and 18 total touchdowns between the 2023-24 seasons. In his first four seasons with the Cardinals he's never rushed for less than 750 yards.

While his impact has been more muted as a runner this season—he came into Sunday's contest with 73 rushing yards and a score on 23 attempts, ceding some snaps to Trey Benson—he remained an important playmaker for the team alongside quarterback Kyler Murray, wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride.

On Sunday, he had nine carries for 22 yards. He's under contract through the 2026 season.

Given how serious Conner's injury looked, it's possible he's facing a lengthy stint on the sideline. That should leave Benson in line to receive the majority of the snaps and touches out of Arizona's backfield. He rushed for 291 yards and a touchdown in 13 games during his rookie season last year.

As for the Cardinals, the team came into Week 2 undefeated and looking to build on high expectations for the 2025 season. Losing Conner for the rest of the season will somewhat damper those hopes.