Rookie Giants running back Cam Skattebo barrels through some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: What is it like being a fan favorite?
A: I mean, it’s been nothing but amazing. Just shows you how much effort I put into this team, and how much I put into the place I’m at and continue to build and try my best to give all my effort to winning football games.
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tRY IT NOWQ: Are you recognized when you go out?
A: Yeah. It depends on the part of the city or Jersey I’m in. For the most part, if I’m in anywhere that likes sports, yeah, for the most part.
Q: How do you feel about that?
A: I don’t mind it at all. I don’t mind if people come up and say, “Can I get a picture?” whatever. But it’s more so like when I’m eating or something — “Just leave me alone until I’m done eating (smile).”
Q: Describe playing on the New York stage.
A: I love it. I’m a very introverted person outside of football, but when it comes around football and activities outside, I’m very extroverted. I love the energy. I love the hate and I love the love. Nothing’s going to derail me.
Q: You love the hate?
A: Yeah, I mean, people always been hatin’ on me or underdogging me, saying that it’s not going to translate one way or another. I’m just going to continue to do what I do.
Q: Why have you been an underdog all your life?
A: I’ve been short, not very fast. … There’s a couple things that a lot of people say, but … there’s plenty of things that other people say that I don’t believe, so I don’t really like to think about them.
Q: What other things that people say that really tick you off?
A: I’m slow, that I don’t put enough effort in, and that I’m too short to play the game.
Q: Have you ever been afraid of anything?
A: I was afraid of my dad growing up. … Butt-whippings and being in trouble, but there’s not much that [scares] me … outside of myself.
Q: What do you mean outside of yourself?
A: Kind of scare myself on what I can really do (laugh). Just in general, on the field, like I almost think I can do too much, and get away with it instead of just doing my job.
Q: What was the worst thing you did that caused a butt-whipping?
A: Stealing probably some gum out of my mom’s purse. … My dad hated stealing and lying. I snuck out a couple of times as a teenager, got in trouble for those things, but nothing too serious.
Q: Where does your on-field mentality come from?
A: I don’t know, honestly. I don’t know if it’s built-up anger from the years of all the things I’ve been through, but I just love the game of football. There’s a switch that gets turned on probably about 20 minutes before game time that I don’t really know where it comes from, it’s just time to go and time to score touchdowns and win the game.
Q: What happens to you when that switch gets turned on?
A: I just go quiet. I go quiet and then once that first hit happens, then it’s all energy from there.
Q: What’s it like standing in the tunnel before you go out?
A: I’m usually the first one into the tunnel before the game starts, and I’m the last one to leave the tunnel. kind of my own thing is making sure that I touch everybody before they leave the tunnel, letting them know I have their back and that I’m going to be there fighting with them.
Q: Are you a trash-talker?
A: A little bit. I like to kill the opponent with kindness (smile), kind of keep them in their happy state so they’re not trying to kill me the whole game, but I’m able to have the killer mindset with still being a happy guy.
Q: Describe the killer mindset.
A: I always explain it: Get to the end zone no matter what, no matter who’s there, no matter who’s in the way. There’s nothing more exciting than an NFL football touchdown. So scoring a touchdown, everybody in the crowd is cheering. It’s great to see other people smile and be able to spread joy when I’m on the field.
Q: What is the hardest blow you’ve ever delivered?
A: Oh, man. When I was in like the fifth or sixth grade. I hit a kid, he caught a bubble route, I think I broke his collarbone. I hit him so hard he hit the ground instantly. I didn’t even realize I hit him, I hit him so hard. It was kind of crazy. I hit kids hard when I was younger. Now there’s too many penalties and stuff involved (laugh).
Q: What position were you playing?
A: Linebacker. I played offense and defense growing up.
Q: You seem to be perfect to play linebacker.
A: Yeah, but I’m 5-[foot]-9 and 220 pounds, not quite the size for a linebacker.
Q: Do you miss defense?
A: A little bit. Yeah, tackling people’s always fun. The style I play with is a little bit dangerous for defense just because I really like to hit people, so I think playing offense kind of keeps that down a little bit.
Q: If you could go back in NFL history and block any defender to test your skills, who would it be?
A: Probably Ray Lewis or Ronnie Lott. I always used to watch TV, like, “Oh I could block those guys if I was on the field.” Obviously, that’ll never happen, but I always told myself that.
Q: Why do you love football so much?
A: It brings me happiness and joy, and continues to make the people around me happy.
Q: What drives you?
A: The happiness of the people around me, making sure that I’m not letting anybody down.
Q: When did the backflip start?
A: The backflip started this year, just because back in the day being a kid and being in high school that was a penalty growing up, just excess celebrations after touchdowns, but I’ve been able to do a backflip since I was probably 6 years old.
Q: Who are running backs you’ve admired over the years?
A: I didn’t watch a ton of football growing up, but Reggie Bush, Frank Gore … Niners were my team growing up. I watched a little bit of LaDainian Tomlinson growing up. Really the running backs from the 49ers, probably 2010 to 2020.
Q: How good do you think you can be?
A: I know I can be the best. It’s just a matter of how much I put into it.
Q: What is the biggest adversity you’ve had to overcome?
A: Probably my parents’ divorce my sophomore year of high school. Them getting divorced just kind of tore me up. I actually just started grinding football even harder. I was working out twice a day making sure that I got out of the situation that I was in. That kind of pushed me to just become better.
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Q: Sacramento State was your only Division I offer. Do you still have a chip on your shoulder because of that?
A: Yeah, 100 percent. Honestly, if the Giants didn’t pick me in the fourth round, there might have been a couple of other teams that picked me up in the fourth round, but I could have seen myself falling to [Round] 6 or 7, you know? So, I always think that there’s only one team that really wanted me. Coming out of Sacramento State, [Arizona State] was the only team that really, really showed interest. So they gave me their heart, and I gave them mine, so coming here and them giving me an opportunity to play at the highest level, I’m going to give them everything I got.
Q: Do you maintain even now that you were the best college running back last year?
A: I’m going to always say that. And even being in the league, I’m going to continue to say I’m the best running back in the league. I know my limits of what I can get to, so I just got to continue and show that.
Q: What are your limits?
A: I don’t know (laugh). I’m not too sure.
Q: Rookie Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty, whatever comes to mind.
A: I love the way he plays. He’s physical. He plays hard. He runs with passion. You could see it. He knows the game of football. The situation he’s at, I don’t know what it is, but he’s going to continue to do great things. I’m excited for him. We’re in the same [draft] class, so we’re gonna be in the league hopefully around the same time and retire around the some time.
Q: The Chargers’ Omarion Hampton.
A: He runs really hard, he’s a strong physical back, catches the ball well out of the backfield. I met him at the Combine, very quiet kid, very to himself. You can tell that he plays this game for one reason, and it’s probably because of his family, so he’s got something to fight for every day, you can see it in his eyes.
Q: Skattebo.
A: Physical, downhill, can catch the ball, can do really anything on the football field if you give him the opportunity.
Q: Do you consider yourself a throwback?
A: Yeah, 100 percent. The way I play, for the most part, is definitely throwback style.
Q: Do you follow what the running backs in your class are doing?
A: A little bit, not too much.
Q: What is Jaxson Dart like in the huddle?
A: Very calm. … I think there’s a big reason why we haven’t huddled a lot this past game, I think he likes to play fast and not think too much. He’s very calm, he gets the play out and he’s ready to go play ball.
Q: Who’s more intense on the field, you or him?
A: It’s pretty close. He loves the game probably just as much as me. I can just feel it playing next to him. It’s an intense backfield back there when we’re both back there.
Q: Why would I have fun going out into New York City with him?
A: He’s really the same person but in a different style. But he’s super energetic, he has a great time. He can be himself no matter what and have fun no matter what situation you put him in.
Q: Why would I have a good time with you in the city?
A: Same thing. Me and him can have fun without any of the extra stuff.
Q: What did you eat at Emilio’s Ballato?
A: I had the chicken parm, and then the veal parm.
Q: Is that your favorite restaurant so far?
A: Yeah, so far.
Q: Describe coach Brian Daboll.
A: Different than most people think. Energetic, excited, has a fire in his eye, can really understand football at the highest level … many people can’t. Just my guy. He’s a big part of why I’m here. I love the dude.
Q: Abdul Carter.
A: Dawg. He’s going to fight every down, give everything‘s he got to win. You can see it in his eyes that he don’t like to lose.
Q: Cameron “Nature Boy” Skattebo.
A: My girlfriend in high school, her brother-in-law that was married to her older sister used to tell me to do the Nature Boy “Woo,” the Ric Flair “Woo” after I ran somebody over in high school. Throughout the years that kind of just stuck. … It brings energy, and it makes people happy.
Q: How did you end up with No. 44.
A: My brother kind of wore it in high school. I wore 5 in high school, wore 4 in college. I wore 4 growing up, wore 44 once or twice. It’s just kind of a family number. As I look into it, I think one of the 4s is for me and then the 44 is for my brother, so I kind of wear it for both of us.
Q: How good of a baseball player were you?
A: I was legit. I played in high school, we didn’t have a very good high school team, I had three different high school baseball coaches. I felt like I could have played baseball at a high level.
Q: What position?
A: I was a catcher growing up, then I switched to center field.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Kevin Hart.
Q: Favorite movie”
A: It used to be “Den of Thieves” until I watched the movie “Weapons” that just came out.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Lately it’s been a really good chicken parm or a veal parm from an Italian restaurant.
Q: What round would you be drafted in for a bar-room brawl?
A: Hopefully the first. I’m sure a lot of people would say the first if you asked them, other people, so hopefully the first.
Q: What are you most proud of?
A: The first thing is making it to the big stage. Second thing is making the 53-man roster, and last week was my first game I started as an NFL player, so that’s been a pretty big accomplishment.
Q: Personal goals?
A: I don’t set personal goals. My goal is to win a championship with this team.
Q: Your message to Giants fans.
A: There’s a bright future here. I’m excited to be here. As long as I’m in the backfield and I’m wearing a Giants jersey, I’m going to continue to fight my butt off to bring home a couple of championships.