Connor Lair dominated in high school at West Plains – an all-O-Zone selection his senior year, playing two ways for the Zizzers. 20 touchdowns on offense, over 10 sacks, and 21 tackles for loss on the other side. A Zizzer not afraid to chip some paint off his helmet.
“I was a linebacker and running back, so I knew I wasn’t gonna try to juke you out. I was gonna try to go through you,” Lair said.
That’s continued at Missouri State, and so has his pride in West Plains.
“West Plains prided us in overcoming adversity, and we were always outside in, you know, whatever conditions, and so I think yeah, translated as well.”
Little did he know just how much adversity he’d face in September of 2023.
“We were actually on the bus headed to Tennessee Martin. I knew that it was a possibility because I had missed one day of practice because I had a biopsy, and then came back the next day, and my plan was to play. I got a call from my doctor, and he said that I was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, the emotions started going and stuff.”
Stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma, it’s easy to stumble in the face of it, but his family, his fiancée, and the Bears picked him up.
“They truly helped me throughout the process and never wavered, like the way they treated me or anything like that. The countless dudes and coaches that came and visited me kept me in the fight.”
Football was instantly on the back burner; he had a bigger obstacle to get through.
“I think six rounds of chemo, and then I had 30 days of radiation.”
And for a young man who forged his power pumping endless iron – it was all an adjustment
“I would say the weight room was probably the hardest part for me because I had a pick line in. I think I went through four pick lines, like just getting clogged up and stuff. So they pull out and put another one in.”
Despite all that, Lair survived, and survived, and was back on the field one year later – September 2024 – at UT Martin again, where he found the end zone for the first time.
“It was super surreal. I mean, the game was already emotional, because I remember the year prior, it was the same, same situation, headed there and got the news. So I think that was a huge chip on my shoulder. And getting the opportunity to do that was a major blessing.”
And one year after that – September 2025 – UT Martin visiting Springfield – he finds the end zone again. Sometimes there’s a higher power at work.
“If you don’t believe in anything, I think that kind of situation or scenario, you start and maybe test the waters and stuff like that. But for me, I mean, my faith never wavered. And that was a big indicator.”
There are things much bigger than football in this world, and while Lair is blessed to have football back, he won’t forget what allowed him to get back on the field.
“Don’t wait until you get that news to find your faith. I would say, you know, be prepared before, because you know. You’re never guaranteed a day. So just having that, having your faith, and knowing that there’s something better after is very important.
