New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo contemplated retirement after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in his rookie year.
Skattebo's NFL journey was abruptly halted in Week 8 of his inaugural season when a tackle by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun resulted in a dislocated right ankle and an open fracture of his right tibia. The injury occurred just as Skattebo's on-field performance was gaining momentum.
"Yeah, definitely," Skattebo told Kay Adams on "Up and Adams" when asked if retirement had crossed his mind. "The first month was kind of like, ‘Damn, do I really wanna do this?’"
He explained that the sudden end to his season was a significant shock, impacting him mentally as well as physically. Skattebo, who had made a rule for himself coming out of college that he would be done playing if he sustained a major injury, found himself at that crossroads just seven games into his professional career.
However, after a period of reflection, Skattebo found the inner strength to pursue recovery. "I think that really helped me find who I am as a player and as a person," he said. "I was able to sit at home for 14 hours a day, do absolutely nothing for weeks on end. So just finding who I was, finding my happiness, finding the person I wanted to be on and off the field. And I think that’s something that I’ve built over the last nine, 10 months."
Skattebo enters the 2026 season looking to re-establish himself in the Giants' backfield, which now includes Najee Harris, Tyrone Tracy, and Devin Singletary. New offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is expected to utilize a running back committee, but Skattebo has demonstrated a capacity for impactful play, particularly in securing first downs and scoring touchdowns.
In his eight games played during his rookie season, the fourth-round pick accumulated 410 rushing yards on 101 attempts, scoring five rushing touchdowns. He also recorded 24 receptions for 207 yards and two receiving touchdowns.