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NEW YORK (AP) — While Cam Skattebo has not played football for the New York Giants since undergoing season-ending surgery in late October, the rookie running back still has plenty of people around sports talking about him.
Skattebo attended WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” at Madison Square Garden, along with teammates Abdul Carter and Roy Robertson-Harris. After some back-and-forth banter during a skit, Skattebo shoved wrestler JD McDonagh from behind a barrier and got pushed back, with the clip going viral.
“Cam’s crazy,” Giants starting left tackle Andrew Thomas said Tuesday with a chuckle.
A handful of local radio hosts blasted Skattebo for risking his health by taking part in the show. Skattebo took to social media to defend himself.
“Honestly if you don’t like that I’m having a good time while dealing with a tough time, then just go ahead and unfollow and casually move on,” Skattebo posted on X, formerly Twitter. “I’m not able to play football and have the fun I’ve been having my whole life so I am doing things outside the box trying to find stuff to keep me happy. Enjoy the rest of y’all’s week and just don’t talk about me if you ain’t got nothing nice to say.”
Skattebo, who wore a jersey of Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe at the event, is recovering from a broken right fibula and dislocated right ankle after getting hurt in gruesome fashion Oct. 26 in a loss at Philadelphia. In a video interview with Complex Sports over the weekend, Skattebo showed how well the injury was healing, and he was wearing a protective boot at the Garden.
The 23-year-old also was on the sideline Sunday at the Meadowlands on a scooter and sporting the boot.
ESPN New York’s Chris Carlin said he “could not have been angrier at the just remarkable stupidity shown by Skattebo. He was one of the lone bright spots of this team, and he thinks it’s a good idea to get involved like that.”
Co-host Bart Scott, who played 11 NFL seasons as a linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets, was less vocally critical but still described Skattebo’s participation as “carelessness.”
“Whether you’re play wrestling or wrestling, it’s still a physical act,” Scott said.
WFAN’s Chris McMonigle said “the optics are so bad.” On the same station, Brandon Tierney called it dumb.
“I’m not here to be the buzz kill or holier than thou or the headmaster or the dean of discipline, but, dude, use common sense,” Tierney said. “What happens if there’s a little beer or a little water or a little seltzer on the Garden floor and he slips and he loses control?”
Skattebo responded to that clip on social media by saying his foot was off the ground, adding, “Trust me wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize anything.”
Skattebo, along with quarterback Jaxson Dart, had brought an infusion of energy into the organization before going down. The fourth-round pick out of Arizona State had run for five touchdowns and had two more receiving in his first eight professional games.
Asked Tuesday on a video call with reporters about Skattebo at the Garden, second-year back Tyrone Tracy flashed a smile.
“I wasn’t there last night, but you best believe I was fighting,” Tracy said. “I was fighting at home, though, telling him to duck and sit down. Cam’s a wild man. Everybody knows that. He’s going to go out there and do what he do.”
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