New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo said an early retirement crossed his mind as he recovered from a season-ending injury that halted his promising rookie campaign.
"Yeah, definitely," Skattebo said Thursday on "Up and Adams" when asked if he considered stepping away from football. "I would say, probably a month in. The first month was kinda like, 'Damn, do I really wanna do this?' (But) it was seven games - I was like, 'I gotta go back and play.'"
Skattebo sustained a tibia fracture and ankle dislocation in Week 8 of last season. The 24-year-old is most known for his fearless style of play, but he acknowledged that injuries have been on his mind throughout his career.
"Coming out of college and going into the NFL, I gave myself one rule: If I ever got a major injury, I was done playing," he said. "That happened seven games into my career, so it kinda sucked."
Despite the setback, Skattebo believes he's in a better place heading into his sophomore campaign.
"I think that really helped me find who I am as a player and as a person," he said. "I was able to sit at home for 14 hours a day, do absolutely nothing for weeks on end. Just finding who I was, finding my happiness, finding the person I wanted to be on and off the field."
Skattebo rushed for 410 yards and five touchdowns in his debut season.
