Cam Skattebo’s return couldn’t have been much louder.
Back in the lineup for the New York Giants’ 2026 season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, the running back made his comeback after missing nearly a full year with a broken right fibula. He wasted no time getting involved, handling the bulk of the team’s rushing work and helping set the tone from the opening drive.
Skattebo punched in a tough three-yard touchdown early, then followed it with a backflip celebration that he stuck cleanly. That alone would have been enough to get people talking, but the mic’d-up audio from Sunday Night Football pushed him into a different lane entirely.
The clip captured exactly what Giants fans already know about him: he runs angry, talks with fire, and wants the ball. At one point, Skattebo was heard repeatedly shouting, “Let me eat!”
as he pushed for more touches. The moment lit up social media, where the reactions came fast and loud.
“Dammit. F it. I’m a fan,” one fan said.
“Dude is an absolute crayon eater……and I love it,” another fan added.
“How can you not love this guy?!?! I also love the ‘I got your back’ that everyone says to each other. This team feels different,” a third fan wrote.
“I’m a Raider fan, and I love this mfker!!!! lol y’all got an animal! Be proud,” one final fan commented.
The viral buzz didn’t come out of nowhere, either. Skattebo was already a fan favorite last year even while he wasn’t on the field for every game because of injury. One game into this season, he’s not just keeping that momentum going - he’s picking up a whole new crowd.
On the field, the production matched the noise. Skattebo finished with 18 carries for 81 rushing yards, averaging 4.5 yards per attempt while consistently wearing down the Dallas defense. He also piled up 57 yards after contact, a clear sign that the physical style that makes him such a tough watch for defenders is still front and center.
The Giants rode that ground effort to a 28-20 win, and Skattebo’s return ended up being the kind of performance that grabs attention for more than one reason.
In Other News...
Former Cowboys Pass Rusher Returns With Something To Prove In Dallas
Dorance Armstrong is set to make his 2026 debut Sunday against the Cowboys, a familiar opponent for a pass rusher who spent years in Dallas before moving on to Washington. After serving a one-game suspension and working back from the torn ACL that wiped out most of last season, Armstrong enters the matchup with a fresh chance to reestablish himself in a game that still carries some extra edge for everyone involved.
Washington's staff has said it is confident Armstrong is ready to go, and the plan is to rotate him with the rest of the pass-rush group to keep his workload manageable. For Dallas, that means facing a former defensive end who knows the building, the personnel and the stage, even if the bigger question now is how much of Armstrong's old burst has returned after such a long absence. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones Just Raised The Stakes For Dallas' Shaky Defense
Jerry Jones didnt sound interested in pretending the Cowboys defensive performance in Week 1 was anything close to where it needs to be. The team owner acknowledged Dallas underestimated the Giants in the opener, and with Washington up next, he pointed to the defense as the area most likely to show a better version of itself in a game that already feels important for setting the tone of the season.
The challenge for Dallas is that belief and execution are two different things, and the defense has given plenty of reasons for skepticism already. Jones is framing the Commanders matchup as a chance to reset, but until the Cowboys actually string together a cleaner outing, every promise of improvement comes with a layer of doubt that the schedule will quickly test. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones May Soon Face A Cowboys Decision He Hates
Brian Schottenheimers second season in Dallas already carries the sort of early pressure that tends to come with this franchise, even if the Cowboys have historically shown more patience with head coaches than most. After going 7-9-1 in his first year, Schottenheimer watched the team open a new defensive chapter by moving on from Matt Eberflus and turning the unit over to Christian Parker, a change meant to steady a side of the ball that has been a major point of concern.
Instead, the defense stumbled in Week 1 against the New York Giants, and that is where the unease begins to creep in for a team that cannot afford another losing year. There is already speculation about Schottenheimers seat if the record goes the wrong way again, and for Jerry Jones, the uncomfortable part may be less about making a change than having to consider one at all. [Read more 🡒]