New York Giants rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo have been the toast of New York since they entered the fold in Week 3. Don't get me wrong, the Giants still have plenty of flaws, but the offense started to take shape when Brian Daboll added Dart and Skattebo into the mix. Dart, with his dual-threat abilities and gladiator mentality, hasn't shown an ounce of fear since he made his first start against the Los Angeles Chargers, which resulted in a rare win for this New York team.
Dart is the face of the franchise moving forward, but it's also players like Skattebo who have emerged as fan favorites for this underdog Giants squad. Skattebo starred at Arizona State last season, as the Sun Devils made the College Football Playoff out of nowhere. Skattebo is a throwback – a player who belongs in a different era, and is willing to play through anything.
That can get him in trouble in the modern NFL. Look no further than the fine he picked up as the Giants violated concussion protocol to keep Dart in the game just last week. But when New York wins, Skattebo plays a huge role. He's the best back the Giants have featured since Saquon Barkley, who humiliated the front office just last season by winning a Super Bowl with their rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Cam Skattebo's injury could set the Giants back
That makes Sunday's injury all he more painful. Skattebo's Giants had already beaten the rival Eagles once this season. On Sunday, he had a receiving touchdown and was only beginning to make an impact in the run game. Then, Skattebo's ankle turned the wrong way.
Frankly, that description undersells exactly what happened to the Giants rookie running back. Skattebo could very well have a long-term ankle injury. That seems like the best-case scenario at this juncture, as the ASU product was carted off the field and his Giants teammates (and even some Eagles) were visibly emotional when Skattebo made his exit. For example, here is Dart, looking away and coming to terms with the Giants' new reality.
not gonna post the Cam Skattebo injury, but here's Jaxson Dart's reaction to it in case you needed to know how serious it was pic.twitter.com/ipliG4knOJ
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 26, 2025
In the content business, we call that not safe for work, and it's tough to blame the rookie Dart for reacting so harshly.
Why Jaxson Dart was so heartbroken for Giants teammate Cam Skattebo
For one, Skattebo was one of the only true weapons Dart had on this Giants offense. New York lacks much of a receiving corps beyond Malik Nabers, who is set to undergo knee surgery this week and is on injured reserve. The Giants' offensive line is a work in progress, and if Dart doesn't have a quick outlet, it could lead to more sacks and, frankly, a worse product.
While the Giants were an exciting team to watch for the first half of the season, without Nabers and Skattebo, they'll place Dart on an island. Such was always the risk of playing Dart too early, but for a few weeks the Giants defied reality. Now ... it's unclear who will be the next man up.
Just as is the case for any rookie quarterback, Dart thinks in the short term. He wants to win right now, and without Skattebo the chances of the Giants getting back in the playoff race are slim to none. Heck, even with the rookie running back, that window was closing quickly.
Dart's raw emotion is welcome in this article. How else was he supposed to react when a good friend and fellow rookie teammate went down with what could be a season-ending injury? Dart and Skattebo are in this together, no matter how painful it gets. Right now, it's tough to find much optimism.