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Cam Skattebo’s promising start to his rookie season was cut short Sunday after he suffered a gruesome injury in the New York Giants’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that warranted no replays to be broadcast.
The running back suffered torn ligaments in a dislocated ankle, leading to a complex injury, after being tackled by Zach Baun on Sunday.
Skattebo underwent surgery in Philadelphia just hours after the injury, which was necessary because of the open wound, physical therapy doctor Tom Christ said in an interview with PK Press Club Digital.
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New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is carried off the field during the game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles on October 26, 2025 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It’s infection control. We kind of thought that when we looked at the injury – the tibia and fibula broke. And what happens when they break is sometimes the bone can protrude through the skin. That was definitely a problem if you saw the play. But it was an open fracture, which means the skin was compromised. Now all the bacteria from his sock, from the field, anywhere, can easily get into the skin. And because the bone is fractured, it could penetrate the bone itself,” Christ said.
Essentially, this was to avoid an Alex Smith situation, in which his life was in danger after contracting sepsis due to infections caused by his complex injury in 2018.
“If he develops a bad infection, that’s going to make things really, really, really complicated and bad,” added Christ, whose Fantasy Injury team studies football injuries and their effects on fantasy football in depth.
Head coach Brian Daboll said Skattebo had a “long road” to go, and Christ agreed, even assuming infection was avoided.
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) leaves the field after an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
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“Pretty early on, for the first six weeks, he’s probably not weight bearing at all. So there you’re going to develop a lot of weakness. Atrophy sets in very quickly,” Christ said.
Skattebo will therefore spend several weeks strengthening the rest of his leg before even putting weight on his right foot, the doctor said. Christ added that Skattebo likely won’t be allowed to jog or weightlift for about four months, and he won’t have full range of motion for about three months. However, if the majority is back within 12 weeks, “he’s ready for a really good rehabilitation.”
Skattebo benefits from his style of play, which isn’t exactly about taunting defenders but more of a more old-school ground-and-pound attack.
“He’s not a speed guy. It’s not like he’s Jahmyr Gibbs, De’Von Achane. He’s a bruiser, he’s absolutely fearless – potentially psychopathic – he uses his blockers very well, he has great vision and he’s a tremendous pass catcher. These are all things that will be less difficult to recover from this type of injury. If he were Gibbs or Achane, he might never get back to top speed.”
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) reacts after an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
If all goes according to plan, despite the gruesome nature of the injury, the Arizona State alum could return to his impressive, thunderous form, according to Christ. Skattebo’s age, just 23, will play a key role in his return.
“I can’t emphasize enough how critical his age is here. I know this is going to sound crazy here, but with Chris Godwin being 28 when his injury happened, that five year gap from 23 to 28 is huge with this type of rehab. The younger you are, the better your body is at healing. It helps everything, man. It helps so much. I think he can get back to a high level of play.”
