New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo publicly criticized the NFL after officials flagged him for unnecessary roughness during Sunday’s overtime win over the Houston Texans, a penalty he and his coaching staff believe was unwarranted.
The flag came after Skattebo delivered a hard hit on Texans safety M.J. Stewart while finishing a big run, knocking Stewart to the turf. Head coach John Harbaugh had to physically hold Skattebo back on the sideline before voicing his own frustration with the officials’ call.
Skattebo’s night ended on a high note despite the penalty. His 42-yard run in overtime set up Devin Singletary’s 30-yard touchdown, sealing the victory for New York.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Skattebo declined to repeat what he told the official on the field, but did not hold back on his broader frustration with the league.
“Yeah, I’ll keep that conversation between us,” Skattebo said. “I will say, man, the NFL loves to post me when I do stuff like that, but then also wants to take stuff from me. So, I mean, I’m going to run the ball like I want to run the ball, and if I’m going to continue to get flagged or it or fined for it, man, I guess I’m going to play for free. I’m going to do what I can to be on this team, to give everything I got. If they’re going to punish me for that, I’m just going to keep doing it and keep playing hard.”
Skattebo’s point touches on a tension the NFL has wrestled with for years: the league markets his physical, old-school running style even as officials are instructed to crack down on helmet-to-helmet contact. Referees ruled that Skattebo led with the crown of his helmet on the play in question.
Replay of the hit, however, showed a run that looked little different from plays Skattebo has made throughout his career, fueling criticism from fans online who called the penalty “soft” and “bizarre.” Flags on offensive players in these situations are rare, which added to the confusion in the moment. Skattebo said he expects the league may still fine him over the call.
The performance marked a turnaround for Skattebo after a rough outing the week prior, when he did not get a single carry against the Washington Commanders and some Giants fans speculated he had fallen out of favor with Harbaugh following a costly overtime fumble. That game ended in a tie, though New York had been in field goal range when Skattebo lost the ball — a sequence that, had it gone differently, could have the Giants sitting at 5-2 instead.
Harbaugh addressed the lack of carries after that game, saying it wasn’t a deliberate decision to sideline Skattebo.
“It wasn’t by design for him not to carry the ball,” Harbaugh said. “Just when he was in there, we didn’t call any runs. You’re not thinking about which back is in the game and how many runs they’re getting. It’s we were going to give them all an equal shot, give them a chance, see who got a hot hand maybe, see who could get going with it. We weren’t planning on being down by 24, that’s for sure.”
Skattebo answered with a strong showing against Houston, rushing for 124 yards on 17 carries and scoring a touchdown in the second half. The Giants posted four rushing touchdowns as a team, and Skattebo appears to have reestablished himself as the lead back.
New York has a bye before returning to action on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. Based on his comments, Skattebo does not plan to change his approach regardless of the officiating scrutiny or potential fines.
