Cam Skattabo Rehab Update

Written by Chief Sports Correspondent Dante Randal-Ellison

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is officially back on his feet. After a grueling rehabilitation process following the ankle injury that prematurely ended his 2025 campaign, Skattebo shared a promising update regarding his return to the gridiron.

Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show this past Wednesday, the powerhouse back revealed that he has finally cleared the hurdle of weight-bearing cardio, marking a significant psychological and physical shift in his recovery timeline.

Chasing Hippos: The 75 Percent Mark

While Skattebo is back on the grass, he was quick to temper expectations regarding his current top speed. He described his current output as being at roughly 75 percent capacity—a pace he characterizes as more of a rhythmic stride than an explosive burst.

“I’m getting better. I ran for the first time today about 75 percent,” Skattebo told Eisen. “Not very fast. I can get away from like a baby hippo, maybe. That’s about it. A little bit over a jog, just striding out, not exploding yet… but the jog and the striding.”

This “baby hippo” pace is a calculated part of the Giants’ medical staff’s plan. At this stage, the focus remains on mechanics and joint stability rather than raw power. By “striding out” without “exploding,” Skattebo is re-training his nervous system and testing the integrity of the ankle without the high-torque movements required for NFL-level cuts.

The Road Ahead for the G-Men

The timing of this milestone is encouraging for the Giants’ front office. Having suffered the injury on October 26, Skattebo is currently just under five months into a recovery window that often takes players closer to a full year to reach “game speed.”

With nearly six months remaining before the Week 1 kickoff, Skattebo has a comfortable runway to:

1. Transition from linear running to lateral agility drills.

2. Regain the lower-body strength lost during the initial non-weight-bearing phase.

3. Participate in limited team activities during Training Camp.

If his trajectory continues at this rate, the Giants are optimistic that their bruising back will be at 100 percent—and capable of outrunning much more than a baby hippo—by the time the 2026 season begins.