Cam Skattebo’s latest collision with NFL officiating has turned into more than a single penalty. After the Giants running back was flagged early in the first quarter against the Houston Texans for lowering his helmet into a defender, the league’s Week 7 discipline only added fuel to the debate.
The play drew a 15-yard unnecessary roughness call, and the league later fined Skattebo $7,073. But the bigger talking point is what happened around him: seven other players were fined for similar helmet-related hits, and none of them were flagged in their games.
That contrast is what has fans and the Giants fuming. According to NBC Sports’ Mike Florio, eight players committed helmet-related infractions during Week 7, yet Skattebo was the only one who took an in-game penalty. The rest were hit with fines only.
Here’s how the league handled the others: Bears cornerback Clark Phillips was fined $11,550, Broncos safety Brandon Jones $23,882, Denver linebacker Alex Singleton $47,662, Lions safety Brian Branch $23,882, Colts cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt $7,791, Steelers receiver Brandon Smith $4,916, and 49ers running back Jordan James $6,194.
Skattebo, though, isn’t backing off his style. He made that clear after the game when he spoke to reporters.
“I’ll keep that conversation between us, but I will say, the NFL loves to post me when I do stuff like that but then also wants to take stuff from me,” Skattebo said. “I’m going to run the ball like I want to run the ball. And if I’m going to continue to get flags for it or fined for it, guess I’m going to play for free.”
He also stressed that he’s going to keep giving everything he has to the team, no matter what the league does next.
The disparity has sparked plenty of reaction, but the calls themselves do not automatically prove officials are targeting Skattebo. What is clear is that his aggressive running style has put him on the league’s radar, and that means every hard-charging carry is likely to draw extra attention.
Skattebo doesn’t sound interested in changing course.
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