Cam Skattebo’s promising start to his rookie season was cut short on Sunday after he suffered a gruesome injury in the New York Giants’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that warranted no replays being shown.

The running back suffered ligament tears while dislocating his ankle, which resulted in a compound wound, after getting tackled by Zach Baun on Sunday.

Skattebo had surgery in Philadelphia just hours after the injury, which was necessary because of the open wound, Doctor of Physical Therapy Tom Christ said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

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“It’s infection control. We kind of thought this from watching the injury — both the tibia and fibula snapped. And what happens when they snap is sometimes the bone can protrude through the skin. That was definitely a concern if you saw the play. But it was an open fracture, meaning the skin has been compromised. Now, any bacteria from his sock, the field, wherever, can easily get into the skin. And since the bone is fractured, it could get into the bone itself,” Christ said.

In essence, it was to avoid an Alex Smith situation, in which his life was in danger after getting sepsis due to infections from his compound injury in 2018.

“If he does develop a bad infection, that’s going to make things really, really, really complicated and bad,” Christ, whose Fantasy Injury Team takes deep dives football injuries and their effects on fantasy football, added.

Head coach Brian Daboll said Skattebo has a “long road” ahead, and Christ concurred, even assuming an infection is avoided.

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) leaves the field after an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

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“Pretty early on, for the first six weeks, he’s probably not weight-bearing at all. So right there, you’re going to get a lot of weakness developing. Atrophy sets in real fast,” Christ said. 

So Skattebo will spend several weeks strengthening the rest of his leg before even putting weight on his right foot, the doctor said. Christ added Skattebo probably won’t be cleared for jogging or weightlifting until roughly four months out, and won’t have full range of motion for about three. However, if most of it is back within 12 weeks, “he’s set up for a really good rehab.”

Skattebo does benefit from his playstyle, which isn’t exactly juking out defenders but rather a more old-school, ground-and-pound attack.

“He’s not a speed guy. It’s not like he’s Jahmyr Gibbs, De’Von Achane. He’s a bruiser, he’s absolutely fearless – potentially psycho – he uses his blockers really well, he has great vision, and he’s a tremendous pass-catcher. Those are all things that will be less of a challenge to regain from this type of injury. If he were Gibbs or Achane, he may never get the top-top speed back.”

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) reacts after an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia.  (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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If all goes to plan, despite the horrifying nature of the injury, the Arizona State alum could return to his impressive, thunderous form, according to Christ. Skattebo’s age, just 23, will play a huge factor in his comeback.

“I cannot emphasize enough how critical his age is here. I know this is going to sound crazy here, but Chris Godwin being 28 when his injury happened, that five-year gap of 23 to 28 is huge with these types of rehabs. The younger you are, the more efficient your body is at healing. It just helps everything, man. It helps so much. I do think he can get back to a high level of play.”

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MILWAUKEE — Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo acknowledged Tuesday’s 121-111 victory over the New York Knicks carried some extra significance, but only because the Knicks swept the Bucks in last season’s series.

Indeed, New York went 3-0 against Milwaukee in 2024-25, winning those games by an average margin of 22 points, which was on Antetokounmpo’s mind entering this game.

“They were way better than us last year, and we didn’t make it tough for them,” Antetokounmpo said after scoring 37 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 7 assists. “It was very easy in my opinion. And as the leader of this team, I remember. I don’t forget things. And I try to, from early at shootaround, set the tone for the team and try to remind them, last year, they swept us.”

Milwaukee’s struggles extended to each of the top teams in the Eastern Conference a season ago, going 0-9 against the top three seeds in the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics and the Knicks.

But the Bucks set a different tone on Tuesday, rallying from down 14 points in the first half for a comeback victory.

Antetokounmpo led the charge with a huge third quarter, during which he scored 14 points and dished out four assists as the Bucks outscored the Knicks 35-20. After one sequence midway through the third, Antetokounmpo blocked a layup attempt from Mikal Bridges then flushed a dunk on the other end of the floor. As Antetokounmpo walked up the court, he pointed to himself and motioned to the crowd.

“This is my city. I love when it’s tough,” Antetokounmpo recalled saying. “I thrive when it’s tough. When you make it tough, I thrive.”

Antetokounmpo, who became the first player in league history with at least 30 points on 60% shooting or better in each of his first four games of a season, would add he didn’t have any deeper meaning beyond the message and that it was just in the heat of the moment.

Antetokounmpo has been connected to the Knicks after a report over the summer from ESPN’s Shams Charania that Antetokounmpo considered New York the lone destination he would have wanted to play outside of Milwaukee. The two sides engaged in brief trade conversations that never gained traction.

Yet Antetokounmpo did not want to get into offseason speculation much on Tuesday, saying his focus was on basketball and the Bucks’ next game against the visiting Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

“What matters right now is we have a game in two days against Golden State,” he said. “Try to stay locked in and get two in a row.”

The HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to expand to eight teams, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) preparing to auction two new franchises ahead of PSL 11. 

The development was confirmed by PSL Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer while speaking to reporters at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.

According to Naseer, the tender process for the new teams will begin in November, with interested investors allowed to choose from a designated pool of city names.

“An auction will be held for two new PSL franchises. Bidding parties will be given a pool of city names from which they can select one team,” said Salman Naseer.

Along with the addition of new teams, discussions are underway to expand the league’s footprint across Pakistan. The PSL is currently played across Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Multan, but the PCB is working toward including:

“We are seriously considering hosting PSL 11 across six venues. Peshawar’s Imran Khan Stadium only needs minor upgrades and should be ready soon,” Naseer stated.

“Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium is also being prepared, and matches have already been scheduled there leading up to PSL 11.”

He added that the goal is for teams to play true home games, with each franchise returning to its home venue, something that has not always been possible in previous seasons.

“There is strong interest for the two new teams. We are expecting healthy competition among bidders,” Naseer confirmed.

The league currently features, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators, and Multan Sultans.

The addition of two new sides will mark the first major expansion since the inclusion of Multan Sultans in 2017.

HBL retains title sponsorship 

Both parties today announced a major partnership renewal, confirming that the two forthcoming editions of Pakistan’s biggest cricket brand shall be known as HBL PSL 11 and 12.

In a landmark deal, HBL exercised its right to match the Fair Market Value determined by an independent expert valuer for the Title Sponsorship of the forthcoming two editions of PSL.

This renewal further solidifies a decade-long association, as HBL has been the PSL’s exclusive and proud title sponsor since the League’s inception in 2016 and signifies HBL’s enduring trust and investment in the PSL brand which continues to experience commercial growth.

Since PSL 1, the value of Title Sponsorship Rights has increased by 505%.

PSL CEO, Mr. Salman Naseer, said: “We are absolutely delighted and extremely grateful to HBL for extending their historic association with the Pakistan Super League for HBL PSL 11 and 12. HBL’s decision to continue their phenomenal journey with the 

PSL is a powerful statement of confidence in the league’s immense commercial value, its strategic importance to the nation and recognises the league’s position as one of the world’s leading T20 cricket tournaments.

“HBL has been more than a sponsor; they have been a dedicated partner in the journey to develop and showcase the best of Pakistan cricket to the world. We look forward to working closely with them to make the next two seasons our most successful yet.”

Commenting on the partnership, Abrar Ahmed Mir, Chief Information & Transformation Officer – HBL said: HBL is pleased to renew its commitment as a Title Sponsor to Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) flagship platform, the HBL Pakistan Super League (HBL PSL) for two more years till 2027. The Bank remains committed to amplifying the success of this tournament, ensuring the HBLPSL remains a platform that inspires the youth of our cricket loving nation and support the communities that the Bank serves.

HBL Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Mr. Ali Habib, added: The HBL PSL has evolved into a powerhouse brand and a national institution. Our decision to extend the title sponsorship reflects HBL’s core philosophy of ‘enabling dreams’ – a promise delivered through the PSL platform by launching numerous national and international stars. HBL has and always will support and nourish national endeavors.

As the proud title sponsor, we are dedicated to supporting the PCB in delivering the most exciting and world-class cricketing experience in 2026 and 2027, further elevating the stature of HBL PSL on the global stage.