EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — “Let’s do that! Let’s do it!” New York Giants rookie Cam Skattebo yelled towards his teammates.
Even along with his proper foot turned 90 levels to the precise, his grotesque ankle harm nonetheless could not get him to interrupt character. He was nonetheless the energetic, fiery working again who has rapidly turn into a fan favourite due to his perspective and aggression.
Skattebo suffered an open wound ankle dislocation in Sunday’s 38-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Monetary Area, ending his season.
After his proper leg was put into an air forged and he was loaded onto the cart, Skattebo nonetheless discovered his quarterback with an enthusiastic headbutt.
Did not see this within the second. Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo really did their trademark headbutt earlier than Skattebo left the sphere. pic.twitter.com/jfgPtfAEts
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) October 27, 2025
That is what the Giants might be shedding for the rest of the season. The vitality that Skattebo, alongside along with his sidekick, Jaxson Dart, had injected into the franchise was palpable. The distinction might be felt and seen with Skattebo’s hardnosed, embrace-the-contact strategy.
It is a large loss for the Giants of their quest for respectability. And it is equally demoralizing for the staff and the fan base, who have been falling in love with the perspective that Skattebo and Dart dropped at the sphere.
By no means was it extra evident than three weeks in the past, after they led the Giants to an upset victory over the defending champion Eagles on “Thursday Evening Soccer.” Dart and Skattebo had put the New York Giants again on the map.
However now it is again to the drafting board for the the staff, for now no less than. There may be hope that Skattebo might be again for the beginning of subsequent season. After all, his rehab must go easily, and the complete extent of his accidents have not been totally disclosed.
Skattebo’s open wound makes avoiding an infection a precedence. The excellent news is that he already returned to New Jersey, and the preliminary surgical procedure was profitable. The Giants stated he’ll start his rehab instantly.
“I am not going to get into the particulars, however all went effectively,” coach Brian Daboll stated Monday afternoon. “He is recovering, and clearly he’ll be missed, however on the street to restoration.”
Daboll later added: “He is acquired a street forward of him.”
There’s a historical past of gamers with open wound ankle fractures which have come again at full power. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott noticed his ankle going through the flawed course in an October sport in opposition to the Giants in 2020. He was again for the beginning of coaching camp the following 12 months.
There are others who skilled longer roads again. Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith’s journey has been well-documented. It was difficult by infections and concerned 17 surgical procedures. The important thing for Skattebo might be that there aren’t any future issues, which at this level is unpredictable.
Within the meantime, the Giants will now return to Tyrone Tracy Jr. as their characteristic again. He’ll be supplemented by Devin Singletary and Dante Miller. Tracy had 10 carries for 39 yards in Sunday’s loss. Singletary had a pleasant 28-yard reception within the second half.
Tracy had a promising rookie 12 months in 2024, whereas Singletary is a confirmed veteran and Miller is a younger, explosive participant. None present the identical perspective and vitality as Skattebo. That is a component the Giants could have hassle changing.
“At first, when you’ve got a younger man are available and so they deliver that form of vitality and so they’re vocal, as an older man, you are form of like, all proper younger man, chill out. However he was real, and also you admire that,” veteran guard Greg Van Roten stated. “He works onerous and it is contagious, so he gained guys over fast simply along with his work ethic. How he approaches the sport of soccer is refreshing in a approach, the place it would not should be all scheme and this and that. Generally you simply run someone over and that is ok. We’ll miss that.”
Tracy is extra of a house run hitter. He had six runs of 20-plus yards as a rookie final season, together with two that went for greater than 40. Skattebo had one 20-plus run in eight video games this 12 months.
However maybe the largest query going through the Giants with out Skattebo is how this impacts Dart’s growth. The rookie quarterback is now with out star huge receiver Malik Nabers and Skattebo. New York’s offense struggled in Philadelphia till the ultimate minutes, when the sport was out of attain. It had produced fewer than 200 yards of whole offense till its remaining drive late within the fourth quarter.
Dart stated he was “devastated” by the harm to Skattebo, considered one of his closest buddies on the staff. That they had developed an prompt bond on and off the sphere. It was evident by their interactions and connection.
Do the Giants now commerce property to assist Dart develop down the stretch? It is a questionable strategy given they’re 2-6 and the schedule would not soften. Every of the Giants’ subsequent 5 opponents at the moment has a profitable file, together with the San Francisco 49ers (5-3), who they will face on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). The 49ers deliver with them a top-10 scoring protection that enables simply over 20 factors per sport.
The Giants additionally haven’t got a third-round decide in subsequent 12 months’s draft, having used it as a part of the bundle to pick out Dart within the first spherical of this 12 months’s draft. Buying and selling extra draft capital for assist proper now would depart them additional shorthanded for the long run.
It appears seemingly Dart and the Giants should get by this season with none main reinforcements. Not too long ago signed huge receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III is more likely to begin being built-in into the rotation this week. Extra might be anticipated from Tracy, tight finish Theo Johnson and huge receivers Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton.
It should be troublesome for Dart and the Giants down the stretch. He is seemingly going to should take his lumps because of this. The Giants must handle it so it would not break his will.
Dart might be seen getting emotional on the podium after Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. He was rocking backwards and forwards and, at instances, taking deep breaths, all whereas explaining his disdain for shedding … along with addressing the harm to his shut buddy.
It is not going to be straightforward to maintain the event of Dart on observe, however that is the hand that they’ve been dealt after this newest crushing blow.