Giants’ Cam Skattebo Reveals Mindset After Devastating Injury

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo said Monday he felt no mental remnants of last season’s season-ending ankle injury when he returned to the field for the team’s preseason opener.

Skattebo, speaking after the Giants’ 13-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, addressed whether the injury still occupied his thoughts.

“When I went out there on Saturday, I had no feeling or any recollection of injury in my brain. I was ready to go play football,” Skattebo said.

The second-year back added that if the ankle is not hurting or bothering him, his mind stays clear of it. Adrenaline takes over once the game begins, he said, and everything else fades.

Skattebo started and carried the ball four times for 19 yards over the Giants’ first two offensive series. The limited workload marked his first game action since suffering a dislocated right ankle, open tibia fracture and ruptured deltoid ligament in Week 8 of the 2025 season against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The injury occurred on a routine play in the second quarter of that October contest. Medical staff from both teams rushed onto the field as Skattebo’s ankle bent at a severe angle. He was carted off and underwent emergency surgery that night in Philadelphia because of the open wound.

The Giants announced the procedure was successful, and Skattebo was released from the hospital the next day. Recovery estimates initially ranged from four to six months, with the possibility of a full return by training camp.

Skattebo progressed steadily through the offseason. He began walking unaided roughly six weeks after surgery and later returned to jogging and limited team drills during minicamp. By early August he was participating more fully as the Giants prepared under new head coach John Harbaugh.

In his rookie season, Skattebo rushed for 410 yards and five touchdowns on 101 carries while adding 24 receptions for 207 yards and two scores in eight games. The physical, downhill style that defined his play at Arizona State and early in the NFL had made him a key piece of the Giants’ backfield before the injury.

Harbaugh said Monday that Skattebo is not yet fully recovered but showed encouraging signs.

“I don’t think he’s 100%. He would say he’s not,” Harbaugh said. “But I got to see what you know about him already. I saw the foot quickness, the feel for the game, the explosiveness. It was good to watch him, good for me to see that.”

The coach noted that Skattebo has come a long way in the past two to three weeks and still looks like the player who impressed last season. Quarterback Jaxson Dart also praised the energy and physicality Skattebo brought back to the huddle.

Skattebo has repeatedly said he will not change his aggressive running style. He has described the injury as “this little ankle thing” and vowed to resume “running people over” once fully healthy.

The Giants list Skattebo as a co-starter alongside Tyrone Tracy on their initial preseason depth chart. Devin Singletary and Eric Gray provide additional depth. New York is scheduled to face the Miami Dolphins in its next preseason game Saturday.

At 24 years old, Skattebo benefits from youth in the recovery process. Ankle dislocations combined with fractures and ligament damage can affect speed and explosion long after medical clearance, yet his timeline has stayed on track.

Skattebo emphasized the mental side of returning. He and wide receiver Malik Nabers, who is also working back from injury, have supported each other through darker periods of rehabilitation. Having teammates nearby, he said, helps clear those spaces in the mind.

The running back’s focus now shifts to building toward the regular season. He has expressed confidence that normal Cam Skattebo will be on the field soon, free of any lingering recollection of last year’s setback.

Harbaugh’s comments came during his Monday media availability following the Vikings game.