Giants’ Cam Skattebo ‘perfectly fine’ after failed backflip causes post-surgery concern
· Yahoo Sports
NEW YORK — Cam Skattebo’s failed backflip gave New York Giants fans a giant scare.
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But the running back — just under nine months removed from a gruesome, season-ending leg injury — assured he is OK and plans to keep it that way.
Footage went viral after Skattebo failed to land a backflip during an appearance Saturday at the Fanatics Fest in Midtown.
Skattebo, 24, quickly rose to his feet and clapped repeatedly before unleashing a guttural scream — an indication he was unharmed.
But the incident raised eyebrows nonetheless because Skattebo suffered an open tibia fracture and a dislocated right ankle during an Oct. 26 loss in Philadelphia, requiring emergency surgery.
“I will not hurt myself before the season,” Skattebo said Sunday, speaking onstage with SiriusXM’s “The Fantasy Footballers” at another Fanatics Fest event.
“What happened was, I don’t know if you guys know WWE or not, those floors are bouncy. So, when I took off, I was mid-air, like, ‘Holy cow, I’m not gonna land this. I’m way too high.’ Landed, but it had too much cushion. It wasn’t a stiff, firm ground, so that’s why I kind of, like, went back, safely landed, got back up, was good to go. So, nothing came out from that. I’m perfectly fine.”
Skattebo quickly emerged as a fan favorite during his rookie season last year, totaling 617 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns in eight games before the injury.
His unrelenting physicality helped unlock a Giants offense that gave reason for optimism once fellow rookie Jaxson Dart took over at quarterback.
Skattebo’s recovery has therefore commanded considerable attention. He is set to be one of the primary running backs in a Giants position group that also features Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary.
Saturday’s fall wasn’t the first time one of Skattebo’s post-injury engagements has caused concern.
In November, less than a month after his surgery, Skattebo participated in a staged WWE brawl on “Monday Night Raw” at Madison Square Garden. The scripted scuffle involved Skattebo, wearing a protective boot and leaning against railing in the stands, getting shoved multiple times and doing some pushing of his own.
Then in May, Skattebo landed a backflip after hitting a home run at teammate Brian Burns’ celebrity softball game.
Skattebo said Sunday that he embraces his “maniac” persona but is less enthused by those who paint him as “brain dead.”
“I’m just going to keep being me,” Skattebo said. “If they want to say I’m ‘brain dead,’ that I don’t have no brain, then who cares?”
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