Pittsburgh Panthers running back James Conner is cancer free

Pittsburgh Panthers running back James Conner (24) goes in for 5-yard touchdown against the Houston Cougars during the second half of the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Houston won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Panthers running back James Conner (24) goes in for 5-yard touchdown against the Houston Cougars during the second half of the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Houston won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Pittsburgh Panthers outstanding running back James Conner announced on Monday that he is cancer free after his battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

The Pittsburgh Panthers received some absolutely amazing news about their ill star running back James Conner, who went to Twitter on Monday to say that he is now cancer free after his nearly year long battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Conner entered the 2015 NCAA season as dark horse Heisman Trophy contending running back for Pittsburgh and one of the best offensive players in the ACC. However his 2015 NCAA season fell to the wayside early.

After a stellar 2014 campaign with the Panthers rushing for 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns as a sophomore, Conner suffered a season-ending knee injury in Pittsburgh’s first game of the 2015 NCAA season.

Pittsburgh managed to play solid ball in his absence under first-year head coach Pat Narduzzi, but the most troubling part of Pittsburgh’s season wasn’t Conner’s injury, it was his late 2015 cancer diagnosis.

Conner stated in a press conference that he had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, but that it wasn’t going to stop him from playing the sport he loved. He underwent treatment the last several months while still practicing with the team.

Conner even met his idol in Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry on Ellen about a month ago. Berry had his own bout with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2014 before winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.

Having gone through so much adversity in the last year, Conner seems poised to have an outstanding 2016 NCAA season in the ACC. Today is a great day for Conner, his family, Pittsburgh, and the rest of college football.

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