Giants rookie Cam Skattebo performs a backflip after hitting a home run in a celebrity softball game—sparking backlash seven months after dislocating his right ankle and breaking his right fibula.
Cam Skattebo’s recovery moment turned into a flashpoint.
Seven months after New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo underwent surgery for a serious ankle injury. the 24-year-old stepped into the Brian Burns Celebrity Softball Game on Saturday and sent NFL fans into a frenzy. He scored a home run, then celebrated with a backflip—landing the move without a hitch.
The video spread fast, and so did the split reaction. Some supporters saw it as a sign his rehab is progressing normally. One fan summed it up bluntly. writing that a backflip after a home run is “one way to tell everyone your rehab is going pretty well.” Another added a darker counterpoint: the good news is that he appears “100 percent healthy and back to normal. ” but the concern is “tempting fate.”.
Others weren’t buying the celebration as anything other than risky. “I don’t think it was a smart thing to do,” one critic wrote. Another said the backflip could “jeopardize his job and the organization,” while a third joked that training staff were “holding their breath.”
Skattebo’s ankle story is the reason the stakes feel so personal. He broke his right fibula and dislocated his right ankle against the Philadelphia Eagles in October. and he went under the knife after that injury. He has been in rehab ever since, and he is targeting a return in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
But the ankle wasn’t the only time Skattebo has drawn attention while he’s been sidelined. Just weeks after his surgery, he made a WWE cameo at Madison Square Garden—an appearance that had already raised worries about whether he was pushing things too soon.
Earlier this year, Skattebo also faced fury over comments he made about chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other health-related issues. On the “Bring The Juice” podcast, he claimed that CTE is not real. He later defended the stance when asked if he believes it is real. saying: “No. [CTE] is an excuse.” He also dismissed the medical reality of asthma. calling the breathing disease “fake.”.
After backlash, Skattebo posted an apology on Instagram. In his statement, he wrote: “I recently did an interview and had a lapse in judgement, which resulted in me making a tasteless joke about CTE and asthma. It was never my intention to downplay the seriousness of head injuries and asthma.”
He added: “I sincerely apologize to anyone that was offended by my remarks, and I assure you that I’ll be more mindful and respectful going forward. MUCH LOVE!!!”
Between the softball backflip and the earlier controversies. the pattern in fan reaction is hard to miss: some see a player regaining momentum. others see a man in recovery moving quickly enough to raise eyebrows. For now. Skattebo’s goal remains the same—Week 1 return—but Saturday’s celebration has ensured the debate won’t cool down quietly.
Cam Skattebo New York Giants ankle surgery Philadelphia Eagles Brian Burns Celebrity Softball Game backflip charity softball CTE asthma apology