The bruising running back refuses to soften his hard-hitting approach, prioritizing his aggressive identity over injury concerns as New York’s high-stakes 2026 season and postseason hopes loom.
After finishing his rookie NFL season on Injured Reserve (IR) in 2025, New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo has no intent on changing his physical playing style.
In an interview on NFL Network’s The Insiders, Skattebo said it plainly.
"It ain't gonna change who I am," he said of his injury history, "I had an injury. It is what it is. I've still got plenty of football left, plenty of life left, I'm not going to let this little ankle thing bother me. I'm going to get back running people over like you see on the videos.”
The second-year back has every intention to continue being a physical, bruiser of a runner. In doing so, he’ll play to his strengths but there will continue to be injury question marks surrounding him.
The Giants are in line for a strong season and Skattebo is a substantial part of the belief.
Staying in the field will be key for him, but it’s clear that he won’t change his on-field identity for the sake of making others comfortable with his game.
For more on the high expectations around the Giants going into 2026, Giants Roundtable writer Ashish Mathur has a look at some expert projections.
Skattebo isn’t the only key Giants player facing health questions.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart, another source of optimism for the team, faced criticism throughout his rookie year due to the inordinate amount of concussion and head injury checks he faced in 2025.
Much like Skattebo, Dart has a very physical playing style wherein he welcomes contact rather than avoiding it. Thus, he was checked for a concussion during at least five of his 14 games last year and was diagnosed once.
Both Skattebo and Dart have to remain available for the Giants to maximize their potential in 2026. But don’t expect either to give up too much of what makes them effective in the meanwhile.
Skattebo ran 101 times for 410 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns in 2025 while appearing in just 8 games.
Dart boasted a 4-8 rookie record last year, the second-best among rookie quarterbacks that started multiple games. He completed 63.7% of his passes for 2,272 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns to just 5 interceptions with a 91.7 passer rating.
On the ground, he added 487 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns.
