The confidence never left Cam Skattebo.
Even during the long months of rehabilitation, the New York Giants running back never doubted he would return ready for the opening day of training camp.
“I told them I would be ready Day One,” Skattebo said Friday after practice. “Look where we are.”
Now, nearly ten months removed from the injury that ended his rookie season, Skattebo looks exactly where he hoped he would be. He’s practicing without restrictions, moving with confidence and embracing what could become one of the biggest offensive changes under new head coach John Harbaugh.
The Giants want to run the football.
And Skattebo plans to be right in the middle of it.
A Long Road Back
Recovering from a serious injury is rarely straightforward.
For Skattebo, the challenge wasn’t just healing the injured leg. It was correcting everything else that changed during the rehabilitation process.
“When it’s your right ankle, your left leg starts bothering you because you’re using it more,” he explained. “Now I think we’re getting to the point where everything feels pretty even.”
Although he joked that he’s “99.9 percent” healthy, Skattebo admitted there’s only one thing left before he’ll call himself fully recovered.
“I’ll tell you I’m 100 percent when I put shoulder pads on and hit somebody.”
That answer perfectly reflects the running back’s mentality.
He’s never measured success by simply being available. Instead, he measures it by playing the physical brand of football that made him successful throughout his career.
Harbaugh Has Made One Thing Clear
Through the first week of training camp, one message has been impossible to miss.
John Harbaugh wants a physical football team.
More specifically, he wants an offense capable of controlling games on the ground.
According to Skattebo, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy reinforces that message almost every day.
“He comes into our room all the time and says we’re going to run the ball, so be ready,” Skattebo said.
The philosophy isn’t just motivational talk.
Even before players have practiced extensively in full pads, the Giants have spent significant time working through their rushing concepts.
Skattebo believes that work now will pay dividends later.
“If you’re not working those techniques before the pads come on, they won’t magically show up afterward,” he said.
Meanwhile, Harbaugh continues to evaluate exactly how his running back rotation will develop.
“I like it,” Harbaugh said. “They’re working super hard. They’re talented guys.”
Whether one player emerges as the featured back or the Giants employ a committee remains undecided.
“We’re still learning about our team,” Harbaugh added. “No judgments are being made on Day Three.”
A More Mature Perspective
One season-ending injury can change a player’s outlook.
For Skattebo, it changed how he approaches every snap.
Asked what he learned from his rookie season, his answer came immediately.
“Don’t live a play short.”
He still remembers the play that ended his year.
Maybe another step would have changed everything.
Maybe it wouldn’t have.
Either way, dwelling on it accomplishes nothing.
Instead, he’s determined to maximize every opportunity moving forward.
“Just play every play as hard as I can,” he said.
That maturity also surfaced when discussing the backflip he performed during Fanatics Fest earlier this summer.
After conversations with Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen, Skattebo admitted he understands why the organization wanted to address it.
“I learned from it,” he said. “Will I do that backflip again? Probably not.”
At least not during training camp.
“If a kid wants a backflip,” he added with a smile, “he’ll see the backflip when it’s touchdown time.”
The Running Back Room Has Bought In
One of the biggest takeaways from Skattebo’s media session wasn’t about his own role.
It was about the entire running back room.
Rather than focusing on competition, Skattebo repeatedly praised Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary and Dante Miller.
He believes the group has developed a shared identity.
“We’re going to be physical,” Skattebo said. “We’re going to run hard.”
He also singled out Tracy, predicting Giants fans will notice a different version of him this season.
“I think you’re going to see a little meaner side of him this year.”
That kind of chemistry could prove valuable over the course of a long NFL season.
Harbaugh Wants Progress, Not Perfection
While Skattebo discussed physicality, Harbaugh focused on consistency.
The veteran head coach said the biggest positive through three practices has been the effort his team brings every day.
“The mindset, attitude, energy and determination to do things right,” Harbaugh said. “They’ve stacked three days of that.”
Harbaugh frequently uses one phrase when describing the standard he expects.
Chase perfection.
“You can have a perfect play,” he said. “That’s what we’re chasing.”
That philosophy also explains why Harbaugh wasn’t concerned about rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart throwing an interception during Friday’s two-minute drill.
Instead of criticizing the mistake, Harbaugh viewed it as part of the learning process.
“You want him pushing the envelope,” Harbaugh said. “It’s training camp.”
Developing young players means allowing them to make mistakes now instead of later.
Big Goals Don’t Scare Cam Skattebo
Few players publicly set goals as ambitious as Skattebo.
Earlier this offseason, he mentioned chasing 300 carries and 2,000 rushing yards.
He isn’t backing away from those expectations.
“If they’re really high goals,” Skattebo said, “then they’re probably good goals to hit.”
Whether he ultimately reaches those milestones remains to be seen.
However, one thing has become increasingly clear during the Giants’ first week of training camp.
Harbaugh wants a football team that imposes its will on opponents.
Skattebo wants to be the player leading that charge.
After everything he endured during the past ten months, the Giants running back finally has the opportunity to prove that both goals can become reality.
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