Cam Skattebo did not wait long to answer the question hanging over his return. Eight minutes into the Giants' season opener against the Cowboys on Sunday night, the second-year running back capped an 83-yard opening drive with a three-yard touchdown run, then hit a handspring into a backflip and stuck the landing at MetLife Stadium. Afterward, he made clear it was a one-time offering.

“No doubt. I was telling a bunch of people before the game that the first touchdown of the year was going to be a backflip,” Skattebo said after the game. “I'll probably stay away from it the rest of the year, but I had to give it to the city one time.”

Cam Skattebo on his backflip after the touchdown:

"No doubt. I was telling a bunch of people before the game that the first touchdown of the year was going be a backflip. I'll probably stay away from it the rest of the year but I had to give it to the city one time" pic.twitter.com/FG1AqLUsDF

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) September 14, 2026

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The celebration carried more weight than most. Skattebo's promising rookie season ended in Week 8 last October with a dislocated ankle and lower-leg injury, after he had racked up 410 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 101 carries. He drew criticism over the summer when a botched backflip attempt at Fanatics Fest went viral while he was still recovering, an incident he later addressed by admitting he does some dumb things and had learned his lesson.

This one looked nothing like that attempt. Skattebo cleared the flip cleanly and landed on both feet, drawing a roar from a crowd that had waited nearly a year to see him back on the field. New head coach John Harbaugh had not made an issue of the offseason incident, which likely gave Skattebo the room to bring the celebration back one final time.

He backed up the theatrics with a full workload, finishing with 81 rushing yards on 18 carries in New York's 28-20 win. One of those runs, an eight-yard pickup with 1:58 remaining and Dallas out of timeouts, effectively ended the game. The touchdown was also the Giants' first opening-drive score in a Week 1 game since 2022.

Whether the backflip truly stays retired is another matter. Skattebo already has a reputation as a free spirit, and if the touchdowns keep coming at this rate, the temptation may prove difficult to resist.