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Cam Skattebo’s promising start to his rookie season was cut short Sunday after suffering a gruesome injury in the New York Giants’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that didn’t warrant replays.
The running back suffered torn ligaments while dislocating his ankle, resulting in a compound injury, after being tackled by Zach Baun on Sunday.
Skattebo underwent surgery in Philadelphia a few hours after the injury, which was necessary because of the open wound, physical therapy doctor Tom Christ said in an interview with Pak Gazette Digital.
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New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is taken 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 thought this when we looked at the injury: both the tibia and the fibula were broken. And what happens when they break is that sometimes the bone can protrude through the skin. That was definitely a concern if you saw the play. But it was an open fracture, which means the skin has been compromised. Now, any bacteria from your sock, the field, wherever, can easily get into the skin. And since the bone is fractured, it could get into the bone itself,” Christ said.
Essentially, it was to prevent an Alex Smith situation where his life was in danger after contracting sepsis due to infections from his 2018 compound injury.
“If you develop a serious infection, that’s going to make things very, very, very complicated and bad,” added Christ, whose Fantasy Injury Team takes an in-depth look at football injuries and their effects on fantasy football.
Head coach Brian Daboll said Skattebo has a “long road” ahead of him, and Christ agreed, even assuming infection is 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 on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
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“Pretty soon, for the first six weeks, you probably won’t be weight bearing at all. So right there, a lot of weakness will develop. Atrophy sets in very quickly,” Christ said.
So Skattebo will spend several weeks strengthening the rest of his leg before even putting weight on his right foot, the doctor said. Christ added that Skattebo probably won’t be cleared to run or lift weights until about four months later, and won’t have full range of motion for about three months. However, if most of him returns within 12 weeks, “he’s set up for a very good rehabilitation.”
Skattebo benefits from his style of play, which is not exactly overpowering defenders but more of a more old-school, ground-and-pound attack.
“He’s not a speedy 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. Those are all things that will be less difficult to recover from this type of injury. If it were Gibbs or Achane, he might never get back to full 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 on 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 Cristo. Skattebo’s age, only 23 years old, will be a very important factor in his return.
“I can’t stress enough how important his age is here. I know this is going to sound crazy, but Chris Godwin was 28 when his injury happened, that five-year gap from 23 to 28 is huge with these types of rehabs. The younger you are, the more efficient your body is at healing. It just helps everything, man. It helps a lot. I think he can get back to a high level of play.”
