Pittsburgh RB James Conner diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

James Conner, star running back for the Pittsburgh Panthers, has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

James Conner has had a very tough year with his health at the University of Pittsburgh. The standout running back for the Panthers suffered a season-ending torn MCL in their early non-conference game against Youngstown State. During Friday’s press conference, James Conner revealed that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Conner said that he will undergo chemotherapy immediately and that his doctors told him he “his type has an 85 to 95 percent cure rate.” He first told his teammates about his battle with cancer Friday morning before addressing the Pittsburgh media Friday afternoon.

Entering 2015, James Conner had a season full of tremendous promise. He finished second in the preseason poll for the ACC’s best player behind Clemson’s quarterback Deshaun Watson and ahead of Georgia Tech’s quarterback Justin Thomas at the ACC Kickoff media days earlier this summer.

Conner plans to beat cancer and will one day play again at Heinz Field for the Pittsburgh Panthers. The college football world and the Pittsburgh community is entirely behind Conner and his battle with cancer.

Pittsburgh has not had a running back of James Conner’s caliber since LeSean McCoy or as high-profile of an offensive player since Larry Fitzgerald turned the world upside down playing wide receiver for the Panthers in the early 2000s. Hopefully James Conner can beat cancer and get back to leading the Pittsburgh Panthers on Fall Saturdays.

James Conner said at his press conference, “I choose not to fear cancer…I will play football again.”, per ESPN.