Coverage spread: 2 sources — 2 right
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What happened
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo attempted a backflip during Fanatics Fest, a large sports and entertainment convention held a few weeks before the start of training camp. Skattebo, who regularly does backflips after touchdowns, stumbled on the landing this time and briefly appeared to wrench his knee, alarming fans and reporters given that he was still recovering from a serious injury. He later attributed the botched landing to a bouncy stage floor rather than any physical setback.
According to the New York Post, Giants general manager Joe Schoen learned about the incident while on vacation, having dinner with family and friends, when it was “brought to his attention.” Schoen said his first move was to text Skattebo to confirm he was okay. Schoen noted the fact that Skattebo could stumble on the landing and still be fine was itself a sign of how well his rehab had progressed, but he added that he would rather Skattebo not attempt such stunts, especially so close to the start of camp.
Head coach John Harbaugh also spoke with Skattebo directly about the stunt. Skattebo, speaking to reporters on July 31 after the third training camp practice at the Sports Performance Center at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, acknowledged the conversation, admitting he does “dumb things” at times but says he learns from them. He indicated he likely will not attempt another backflip, saying he and the team “live and learn” and move on.
The injury backdrop
The concern stems from the severity of Skattebo’s rookie-season injury: a right ankle dislocation combined with an open tibia fracture that ended his 2025 season after just eight games. Despite the injury, his rookie output included 410 rushing yards at a 4.1 yards-per-carry average and seven total touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving), highlighted by a three-touchdown performance in a Week 6 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Two weeks after that high point, in a rematch against the Eagles, Skattebo suffered the injury that ended his season. That history is why a public, awkward landing during an offseason publicity event drew heightened scrutiny from coaches and fans alike.
How the coverage compares
Fox News’ Outkick and the New York Post both cover the same core episode but differ in tone and detail. The Post’s account, framed as first-person reporting from Giants training camp, includes direct quotes from both Schoen and Skattebo, offering the most substantive on-the-record confirmation that a conversation took place and describing Schoen’s real-time reaction (texting to check on Skattebo) while he was away from the team. The Post also provides fuller context on Skattebo’s rookie statistics and the exact nature of his injury.
Fox News’ Outkick piece, by contrast, treats the story with more overt humor, citing an ESPN report by Jordan Raanan as its source for the claim that both Harbaugh and Schoen spoke to Skattebo about curbing the backflips — noting he had also performed one at a charity softball game in May. Outkick frames the episode as an amusing example of coaches having to police a grown player’s habit, and voices skepticism that the talk will actually stick, predicting Skattebo may still backflip in the end zone during the season. Fox also references earlier comments from Harbaugh, made a few days after the Fanatics Fest incident, joking that Skattebo could have at least “stuck the landing.”
Both outlets agree on the essential facts: the backflip happened at Fanatics Fest, Skattebo stumbled on the landing, and it prompted direct conversations with Giants leadership about reining in the behavior given his injury history. Where they diverge is in sourcing and emphasis — the Post relies on direct, dated quotes obtained at training camp, while Fox’s piece leans on a secondhand ESPN report and adds a skeptical, jokier take on whether the warning will actually change Skattebo’s behavior. Neither source suggests Skattebo suffered any new injury from the failed backflip.
Why it matters
The episode is a relatively minor training-camp storyline, but it underscores the tension NFL teams face managing a young, popular player’s public persona and marketing appearances against the practical risk of re-injury. Skattebo has quickly become a fan favorite for his physical running style and camaraderie with quarterback Jaxson Dart, making his health a notable storyline heading into the season as the Giants hope he can build on a promising rookie campaign cut short by injury.
Sources
Featured photo: Dick Leonhardt via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)