Pittsburgh Steelers rookie James Conner is going to have an easier time adjusting to the NFL than other first-year players.
Conner has the benefit of remaining in the city where he played college for the Pittsburgh Panthers, who share team facilities with the Steelers. In addition to the familiarity with his work environment, Conner will also have a built in fan base when he takes the field for his first professional game.
That is more evident than ever when you look at NFL jersey sales.
This week, Dick’s Sporting Goods released a graphic showing their jersey report leading up to the 2017-18 regular season and Conner has the league’s second-highest selling jersey behind only New England Patriots star Tom Brady.
Conner was selected by the Steelers in the third-round of this year’s draft.
The only player with higher jersey sales than rookie James Conner is the five-time Super Bowl champ. pic.twitter.com/8QPqzq8Drt
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 19, 2017
Conner became a fan favorite after overcoming Hodkin’s Lymphoma to return to the field for his senior season. After beating cancer, Conner was able to rush for 1,092 yards and 16 touchdowns before making the leap to the pros.
With his amazing work ethic and inspiring story, it’s no surprise people want to support Conner and his career.
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Photo Credit: Twitter
