James Conner got a message from Aaron Donald a few years ago that he's kept on his phone.
He shared it Tuesday night on his Instagram page after being named to his first Pro Bowl.
The message, well, it read like this:
What a difference 3 years makes @JamesConner_ ? pic.twitter.com/mphStSPgz9
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 19, 2018
Conner, of course, wasn't fighting for yards on the football field, he was fighting for his life after being diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma. And his former Pitt teammate sent that to him from the Pro Bowl that year as Conner began what would be a year-long absence from football as he battled cancer.
Now, the two former Pitt stars can exchange pleasantries in person at the Pro Bowl after Conner was one of six Steelers voted to the game.
"It was awesome for that to come to reality," Conner said Wednesday, a day after the team was announced Tuesday night. "That was a screenshot from 2015. It brought some motivation. I just saved the one from Aaron Donald because it said Pro Bowl in it. That was special. I had that screenshot for a couple of years now."
His Steelers teammates are happy and proud of him, as well. In his first season as a starter in place of Le'Veon Bell, Conner has rushed for 909 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing the past two games with what he confirmed Wednesday is a high ankle sprain.
The Steelers (8-5-1) would like to have Conner back for their game Sunday in New Orleans (12-2), but Conner also realizes his limitations because of his injury. He did not participate in practice after being listed as limited all last week.
"I’m trying," he said. "These high-ankle sprains are deceiving. I can walk around fine. I’m not limping. But when I’m out there on the field, cutting and stuff, it’s not ready yet. That’s the reason why there are 53 guys on the team. You see the way Jaylen (Samuels) and (Stevan) Ridley have been playing. They’re capable. I want to go. But if I’m not feeling like me, then I wouldn’t be James Conner. I’m day-to-day with it."
After being stymied in a loss at Oakland in their first game without Conner, when the Steelers rushing game was limited to 40 yards, Samuels exploded for 142 yards on 19 carries in a win over the Patriots last Sunday.
But the Steelers obviously would like to have Conner back on the field as they try to make a push for the playoffs. The Steelers currently lead the AFC North by a half-game over the Ravens with two games remaining.
According to Conner, there has been no talk of shutting him down for the remainder of the season.
"No, nothing like that," he said. "I want to be out there on the field. We’re not saving anything. We don’t have room to be saving stuff. So none of that."
Conner will be joined at the Pro Bowl by three of his offensive linemen -- center Maurkice Pouncey, guard David DeCastro and tackle Alejandro Villanueva -- along with receiver Antonio Brown and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward.
His linemen are particularly happy the second-year running back will be heading to the Pro Bowl, just as Bell did before him.
"I told you guys at the beginning of the season that stars are born every year," Pouncey said. "It was written that way, it was said that way. It’s awesome."
But Hollywood might not have written Conner's story quite this way. It's been a long journey for Conner, a third-round pick of the Steelers in 2017, for sure.
Pro Bowler James Conner has a nice ring to it.
"Yeah, I like that. It’s just such a blessing," he said. "I’ve come a long way. It’s a huge honor. I’m happy I’ve got some teammates going with me. I’m excited about it. Hopefully, we’ll be playing in a better bowl."
That would be the Super Bowl, of course, and the Steelers would be more than happy to skip the Pro Bowl to play in the Super Bowl the following week.
To get there, they'll need a healthy Conner.
But even if they don't even up going, just having the honor is enough, especially for his offensive linemen.
"I think we’re more excited for him than we are us," DeCastro said. "We take pride in that, too. We have a little piece of that. Hopefully, we can get him back soon."