Cam Skattebo has become one of the most talked-about rookies this year, thanks to a strong start to the NFL season with the New York Giants. He’s rushed for 338 yards on 82 carries, adding 5 TDs on the ground, which is tied for third in the league. His stock was further boosted by an elite 3-TD performance against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football.
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It’s also hard to deny that Skattebo has an infectious energy about him. It seems to rub off on his teammates, and his chaotic decisions on the field often go viral. However, this has led to some narratives about him.
Most NFL fans joke that Skattebo already has CTE at this young age because of his consistent helmet-butting with defenders … or that he will get it soon, given the way he plays. It’s hard to disagree when you watch him lower his head to break tackles with reckless abandon. Some fans genuinely worry that this style of play could lead to a short-lived career.
That’s why Skattebo’s high school coach recently joined CBS to dispel some rumors surrounding his former player. He revealed that Cam was a great student, not a blockhead, and that there is a method to his madness.
“He was always a good student. That’s one of the narratives about him that bothers me right now, is he’s kind of getting that blockhead stereotype, and that is not him,” Skattebo’s high school coach, Jack Garceau, said.
“I mean, yeah, he’ll go out there and bang heads with somebody. But that’s a very intelligent young man,” he added.
This may come as a surprise to some fans. Everyone was quick to label Skattebo as an unintelligent type of person, so it may be flying over their heads just how smart he is. But fans will be fans at the end of the day.
“He’s kinda getting that blockhead stereotype and that’s not him … that’s a very intelligent young man.”
Cam Skattebo’s high school coach never had to worry about checking his grades back in the day. pic.twitter.com/KVdQn6b5kB
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) October 19, 2025
Skattebo’s coach also made it clear that his former player would make smart business decisions in the league, noting how he had done the same thing in school. In fact, Garceau never had to worry about Skattebo’s grades.
“All of the things that he’s going to be doing on the business side of football, he’s going to be making some very smart decisions. He was on my list of guys that I never had to worry about. Checking grades and all that, he just did his thing… Grades were never an issue.”
While these are all interesting pieces of knowledge that most would be surprised by, we do still question how sustainable Skattebo’s style of play is. It’s straight up a “no-holds-barred” type of approach that prioritizes physicality over everything else. And while it’s been working so far, there will come a day when Cam takes a hit that he can’t get up from. Don’t you agree?
