Arizona State Professional Athletes

Cam Skattebo's Return Was Worth the Wait

The former Sun Devil didn't ease his way back. In his first NFL game since returning from injury, New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo scored a 3-yard touchdown on the opening drive against the Dallas Cowboys — then punctuated it with a backflip that sent the internet into a frenzy. The Giants went on to win 28-20 in Sunday Night Football, giving new head coach John Harbaugh a statement debut victory.

Skattebo finished with 81 rushing yards on the night, operating behind a blended run scheme that New York split evenly between zone and gap/man concepts — a tailored mix that Giants insiders say is already unlocking his breakout potential. Former Giants fullback Henry Hynoski specifically pointed to Patrick Ricard's blocking on the touchdown play as a sign that New York is reclaiming its smashmouth identity.

The night started memorably before kickoff too: Skattebo arrived at MetLife Stadium in a souped-up truck, only to reportedly get stuck at an entry gate, yelling "Let me in! I'm the RB!" — a moment that went nearly as viral as the backflip itself.

After the game, Skattebo was unapologetic about the celebration, saying he had planned the backflip well before he ever reached the end zone. He also teased that fans shouldn't get too attached to it — he's already planning to mix up future TD celebrations. As for the spotlight of prime-time football? The second-year back shrugged it off, saying it just means more people are watching.

With Week 2 and a Monday Night Football matchup on the horizon, Skattebo was already talking noise, putting the Rams' Aaron Donald on notice. The message from the former Arizona State star has been consistent: he plans to "continue to kick ass."

Around the League

The Skattebo show dominated the Arizona State alumni storylines this week, but a couple of other Sun Devils saw action worth noting.

Rachaad White (Commanders) got touches in Washington's narrow 22-24 loss to the Eagles, tallying 22 rushing yards and two receptions for 5 yards. It was a quiet debut in a close NFC East battle, but the former ASU back figures to grow into a larger role alongside a stacked Washington backfield.

Keith Abney II, the Lions' rookie cornerback, suited up in Detroit's 31-30 thriller over the Saints. The Lions secondary was tested all night, and per Sports Illustrated, questions are already swirling about whether Abney could be plugged into a larger role to shore things up.

Mitchell Fraboni, the Broncos long snapper and Arizona State product, was elevated from the practice squad and appeared in Denver's 10-31 loss to Kansas City on Monday Night Football — a tough opener, but a roster spot secured for the veteran.

Arizona State's NFL contingent is off to a lively start. But make no mistake: this week belonged to Cam Skattebo and his backflip.

Arizona State sent some serious talent into the NFL this era, and Week 1 of the 2026 season put two Sun Devils front and center — for very different reasons.

Brandon Aiyuk: Still a 49er, Still Not Playing

The most prominent ASU alumnus in the league right now isn't suiting up. Brandon Aiyuk, the former All-Pro wide receiver, remains on the 49ers' roster but did not play in San Francisco's Week 1 blowout win over the Rams (27-7). His NFL future, per Heavy Sports, is firmly in limbo — a situation that has drawn comment from the franchise's own legends.

Former 49ers Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis was blunt in his assessment, advising Aiyuk to "keep his mouth shut" and get back on the field. The disgruntlement is real enough that a trade scenario shipping Aiyuk to a Super Bowl contender has already been floated. Whether that comes to fruition or Aiyuk finds his way back into San Francisco's plans, this storyline is far from resolved. His absence is notable regardless — the 49ers won comfortably without him, which adds a complicated wrinkle to any leverage he might be seeking.

Teammate Jack Jones, another Sun Devil, was active for the Rams blowout, though no notable individual stats were logged.

Cam Skattebo: The Giants Are Building Around Him

While Aiyuk's situation festers, Cam Skattebo is stepping into a genuine feature role in New York — and the Giants appear committed to it. Under new head coach John Harbaugh, the Giants' offense is being constructed around the trio of quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Malik Nabers, and Skattebo, the bruising, no-filter back who has fully embraced his persona as the team's identity player.

The Sporting News detailed how Skattebo's "crazy" competitive persona fits naturally with Harbaugh's culture-first approach. Heavy Sports has already flagged him as a surprise fantasy breakout candidate, noting that when he and Nabers were healthy together last season, the offense showed genuine teeth before injuries derailed both.

The caution flag: a former NFL agent cited by Sports Illustrated noted that Skattebo's margin for error is shrinking. He's a promising talent, but staying healthy and staying on the field is now the job. The arrow is pointing up — but it has to stay that way.

Rachaad White: Finding His Footing in Washington

A third Sun Devil worth tracking is Rachaad White, who bet on himself this offseason and landed with the Washington Commanders. White enters a crowded backfield that also includes Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Kaytron Allen, and Sports Illustrated noted that the Week 1 RB touch distribution is genuinely unclear — head coach David Blough has not handed anyone the keys. Yahoo Sports flagged White and Croskey-Merritt as players Commanders fans will see in burgundy and gold for the first time Sunday in Philadelphia, a road opener where Washington holds a slight historical edge.

White's path to a featured role isn't guaranteed, but he's on the field and in the conversation — which is more than can be said for his most famous Sun Devil teammate right now.

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Three ASU alumni, three distinct Week 1 narratives: one star sidelined by his own situation, one young back getting a franchise's full confidence, and one veteran trying to carve out space in a new city. The Sun Devil footprint in the NFL is real — now it's about who makes the most of it.

Arizona State sent two players to opposite ends of the NFL story spectrum this week — one a comeback narrative that's hard not to root for, the other a contract standoff that's getting messier by the day.

Skattebo Stared Down Retirement. Now He's Ready to Run.

Cam Skattebo didn't just rehab a broken fibula and dislocated right ankle over the offseason. He sat with the possibility that he might never play again — and "definitely" considered walking away.

The Giants second-year running back broke the ankle in Week 8 of his rookie season, a gruesome injury that forced him to reckon with what football actually meant to him. "Do I really want to do this?" Skattebo said publicly this week, describing the low point of his recovery. The answer, ultimately, was yes — but it wasn't automatic.

Now he's atop New York's depth chart and embracing everything that comes with it. "I love the eyes on me," he said, leaning into the spotlight that a featured role in one of the NFL's biggest markets brings. He's made clear he expects a major workload in 2026, a notable statement for a player who's yet to play a full professional season.

There's been noise around his relationship with first-year Giants head coach Brian Daboll — preseason practice incidents drew scrutiny, and one CBS Sports analysis from a former NFL agent argued Skattebo's antics were "wearing thin" in the building. Skattebo pushed back on the rift narrative directly: "We're on the same page. We love each other. We're awesome." Whether that reads as genuine chemistry or carefully managed PR probably depends on how Week 1 goes.

The story Skattebo wants to tell is a straightforward one: near-retirement to featured back, all in 12 months. If his ankle holds, Sun Devil fans will have a legitimate star to track every Sunday.

Aiyuk's Disappearing Act Gets More Complicated

Brandon Aiyuk's situation, meanwhile, defies easy framing. The former Arizona State wideout remains on San Francisco's reserve/left squad list — a roster designation that essentially freezes his status indefinitely. He hasn't shown up at the 49ers' facility, hasn't applied for reinstatement, and the team has made no move to release him.

At the center of it all: a $24.9 million contract option bonus that was owed to Aiyuk if he was on the roster by September 1. Because he remains on the reserved list, the 49ers don't currently owe him that payout. GM John Lynch addressed the situation publicly, saying "nothing has changed" — a statement that was either reassuring or deeply ominous depending on your read of the franchise's intentions.

Unsolicited advice has poured in from NFL royalty. Terrell Owens weighed in with stern words for Aiyuk. 49ers legend Vernon Davis prescribed something simpler: stop talking. The irony is that Aiyuk hasn't been talking — his silence is precisely what's fueling the speculation.

What's clear is that the situation has no clean resolution in sight. Aiyuk is one of the more talented receivers in the league when healthy and engaged, but an indefinite absence with a nine-figure contract in the balance is the kind of standoff that rarely ends without someone blinking hard.

Two Sun Devils, two very different headlines — one chasing a full season he almost didn't come back for, the other caught in a standoff that could define the rest of his career.

The Skattebo Situation

Cam Skattebo came to the New York Giants as one of the most hyped rookie running backs of the 2025 class, and his Arizona State edge — relentless, physical, never-off — was supposed to be the whole point. But a practice scuffle on Aug. 26 has turned that reputation into a conversation nobody fully agrees on.

An NFL insider reported that Skattebo "started a fight" during Wednesday's session and that "his act is getting old" among some teammates. The characterization spread fast, and the reaction inside the building was swift — and divided.

Giants offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor publicly pushed back, calling the narrative "BS" and disputing the framing that Skattebo instigated anything malicious. For Eluemunor, what happened was competitive football, not a locker room problem. That split — between those who see Skattebo's motor as an asset and those who find it exhausting — is the real story coming out of East Rutherford.

Head coach John Harbaugh landed somewhere in the middle. He acknowledged Skattebo's "infectious" energy as a genuine quality, but made clear it needs to be channeled more constructively. The message: the intensity is welcome, the collateral damage is not. Harbaugh's framing was careful — neither a defense nor a condemnation — which tells its own story about how the Giants are handling a rookie who plays like the game is on the line every single snap of training camp.

The irony is thick. The same qualities that made Skattebo a standout at Arizona State — where he ran with the kind of controlled fury that NFL scouts drool over — are now generating friction in a pro setting where veterans set the temperature. Training camp is supposed to be competitive, but there's an unwritten code, and Skattebo is still learning where the line is.

Whether this is a blip or a pattern will define how his rookie year is remembered before it even starts.

Around the League

Two other Sun Devils drew quiet headlines this week. Punter Matt Haack landed back on an NFL roster after the New England Patriots signed him, giving the ASU alum another shot at a league job. And offensive tackle Kellen Diesch was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Seahawks, keeping his NFL career alive on the West Coast.

On the injury front, Rachaad White — the former Sun Devil now with the Washington Commanders — is progressing through his return from a hamstring injury, back to individual work as of this week. No timetable has been specified, but the direction is encouraging for a back hoping to contribute in Washington's backfield this season.