Cam Skattebo brushes off viral backflip scare before Giants camp
The Giants running back said he is “perfectly fine” after a Fanatics Fest flip went wrong, and he had a blunt answer for critics of his style.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Cam Skattebo says the backflip that sent Giants fans into a pre-camp panic did not leave a mark.
The New York running back addressed the viral moment during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “The Fantasy Footballers,” according to NFL.com, after video from Fanatics Fest showed him failing to land a backward flip cleanly. Skattebo said he is “perfectly fine” and promised he will not get hurt before the season.
The timing made the clip hard to ignore. CBS Sports reported that Giants veterans are scheduled to report to training camp on July 28, and Skattebo is coming off a season-ending ankle injury suffered in October.
In the video, Skattebo appeared to be showing off his recovered right ankle before launching himself backward. He landed awkwardly, went down, then got back up quickly. A post from “Bussin’ With The Boys” helped push the clip around social media.
Skattebo told SiriusXM that flipping is nothing new for him, saying he has been doing backflips since he was about 4 years old. He said the issue at Fanatics Fest was the surface.
“I’m gonna address the elephant [in the room]: I will not hurt myself before the season,” Skattebo said, according to NFL.com.
He explained that the floor had more bounce than he expected, comparing it to a WWE-style surface. Skattebo said he realized in the air that he had gone too high, then came down with too much cushion beneath him.
“So that’s why I kinda like went back, safely landed, got back up, was good to go,” he said, according to NFL.com. “So nothing came out from that. I’m perfectly fine. Nothing happened. We’re good.”
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart found a football angle in the stumble. Speaking on SiriusXM, Dart said the attempted flip showed burst from Skattebo, adding, “He over-rotated.” Dart also said Skattebo “looks real good,” according to CBS Sports.
The clip also fed a larger conversation around Skattebo’s high-energy image. CBS Sports described him as having developed a wild-child reputation as his profile has grown.
Skattebo said he is fine with part of that attention, though he pushed back at the idea that his style means he lacks smarts.
“No, I totally enjoy that part. I think I less enjoy the brain-dead kind of guy,” Skattebo said, according to CBS Sports. “But it is what it is. I mean, the New York people love it, so I’m just gonna keep being me.”
Skattebo was a fourth-round pick by the Giants in the 2025 NFL Draft after playing at Arizona State. As a rookie, he became a regular piece of New York’s offense before the ankle injury ended his season.
In eight games, CBS Sports reported, Skattebo rushed for 410 yards and five touchdowns, and added 207 receiving yards with two more scores. Through Week 8, he was one of five players with at least 400 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards, joining De’Von Achane, Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson and Jonathan Taylor.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.