'Dumb' NFL star Cam Skattebo slammed by ESPN analyst for backflip

An ESPN commentator is irate after New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo's ill-fated attempt at a backflip during last week's Fanatics Fest in New York City.

Skattebo's season ended in injury in 2025 when he suffered a brutal ankle dislocation in a Week 8 rivalry matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

So, last week, when he pulled out a backflip and over-rotated - leading to an awkward landing - he was flamed on social media for his careless actions.

On Monday's episode of 'First Take,' commentator and radio personality Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo declared Skattebo's backflip 'beyond stupid.'

'He had a terrible ankle injury last year and he's doing back flips at Fanatics fair?' Russo said Monday. 'I mean what are you doing?' 

Russo added, 'You got training camp coming up, don't do anything dumb like that. 

First Take on Twitter / X

"This is beyond stupid." @MadDogUnleashed reacts to Cam Skattebo backflipping at Fanatics Fest pic.twitter.com/oeM83AJYgJ— First Take (@FirstTake) July 20, 2026

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'Take it easy in front of the fans on a platform. Oh my god did that drive me crazy.'

Fellow guest Jason McCourty took the chance to joke about Russo while defending Skattebo, saying that telling the running back to stop doing flips was like trying to get Mad Dog to stop yelling. 

Thankfully for Giants fans, nothing serious happened to Skattebo - who blamed the 'bouncy' floors for the mishap.

'I'm just going to keep being me, and if they want to say I'm brain-dead, and I don't have no brain, then who cares, f— it,' he said on a panel at Fanatics Fest.

Skattebo underwent surgery to fix his ankle in October almost immediately after his injury.

He'll be looking to improve upon his statistics in his rookie season where he ran for 410 yards and five touchdowns on 101 carries.