Doctor details Cam Skattebo’s ankle injury and recovery process

Cam Skattebo’s promising start to his rookie season was cut short after he suffered a gruesome non-replay injury in the New York Giants’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

The running back suffered ligament tears while dislocating his ankle after being tackled by Zach Baun on Sunday, resulting in the compound injury.

Physical Therapist Tom Christ said in an interview with Fox News Digital that Skattebo underwent surgery just hours after the injury, which was necessary for an open wound in Philadelphia.

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“It’s infection control. We thought about that when we were watching the injury – both the tibia and the fibula were broken. And when they break, sometimes the bone can come out through the skin. If you watched the game, that was definitely alarming. But it was an open fracture, so the skin was damaged. Now any bacteria from your sock, from the field, wherever it is can easily get into the skin. And because the bone is broken, it can get into the bone,” he said.

Essentially, this was to avoid the Alex Smith situation where his life was in danger after suffering sepsis due to infections from his 2018 compound injury.

“If he gets a bad infection, that’s going to make things really, really complicated and bad,” Christ said. Fantasy Injury Team It takes an in-depth look at football injuries and their impact on fantasy football, he added.

Head coach Brian Daboll said Skattebo had a “long road” ahead of him, and Christ agreed, even assuming an infection was prevented.

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) walks off the field after being injured during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

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“Pretty early on, for the first six weeks he’s probably not weight bearing at all. So right there, a lot of weakness will develop. Atrophy starts really quickly,” Christ said.

The doctor said Skattebo will strengthen the rest of his leg for a few weeks before putting weight on his right foot. Christ added that Skattebo probably won’t be allowed to do running or weightlifting until about four months later, and won’t have full mobility for about three months. But if most return within 12 weeks, “they’re ready for a really good rehab.”

Skattebo utilizes a style of play that doesn’t exactly tackle defenders, but rather a more old-school, ground-and-ground attack.

“He’s not a speed guy. Jahmyr Gibbs isn’t like De’Von Achane. He’s a bruiser, he’s absolutely fearless — potentially psychotic — he uses his blockers really well, he’s got great vision and he’s a terrific pass catcher. Those are all things that would be less difficult to regain after that type of injury. If it was Gibbs or Achane, he might never get back to his top speed.”

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) reacts after suffering an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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According to Jesus, if all goes as planned, the Arizona State graduate could return to his impressive, roaring form despite the gruesome nature of the injury. Skattebo’s age, 23, will play a big role in his comeback.

“I can’t emphasize enough how critical age is. I know this is going to sound crazy, but Chris Godwin was 28 when his injury happened, and the five-year difference between 23 and 28 is huge with this type of rehab. The younger you are, the more efficient your body is at healing. It helps everything, man. It helps a lot. I think you can get back to a high level of play.”

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