For New York Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo, one major adjustment came the moment he met one of his new teammates. Fandom is something most people carry — from the smallest kid to the oldest adult, cheering for a favorite team becomes part of identity. But sometimes, that loyalty shifts.
For NFL players who once rooted from the stands, the reality of being drafted into the league changes everything. Once you’re in the building, the fan perspective disappears. For Skattebo, it meant quickly rethinking how he viewed a certain veteran — someone he grew up disliking.
New York Giants RB Cam Skattebo Rapidly Changes Opinion on Russell Wilson
Skattebo, a fourth-round pick by the Giants in the 2025 NFL Draft, entered New York’s locker room with confidence. Coming off a standout season that included a Big 12 Championship and All-American honors, the former Arizona State Sun Devils star had reason to feel proud. But none of those college accolades mean much once you put on an NFL jersey.
The speed, intensity, and physicality of the pro level are on a different scale. And behind the scenes, the quiet truth is that fandom doesn’t just vanish; in fact, it evolves.
For Skattebo, that shift came when he had to reevaluate his opinion of a teammate he once rooted against. Growing up in Northern California, Skattebo was a diehard San Francisco 49ers fan. Naturally, that meant disliking the division rival Seattle Seahawks — and quarterback Russell Wilson, in particular.
Appearing on “The St. Brown Podcast,” the Giants rookie shared how his perspective had to change fast.
“I’m arguing with my friends, from the ages of 12 years old to 16, like, ‘Russell Wilson sucks,'” Skattebo said. “I’m saying this to my boys because I am a Niners fan, and he’s on the Seahawks. Now, I’m on the same team as him. He’s pretty good. It was more hatred of the team than towards him.”
That’s a familiar sentiment for 49ers fans. During Wilson’s time in Seattle, the Seahawks dominated the rivalry, winning 17 of 21 matchups against San Francisco. With that kind of imbalance, it hardly felt like a rivalry at all.
After Wilson left Seattle, the 49ers won six straight meetings over the Seahawks (including a Wild Card round meeting in January 2023) before losing at home in San Francisco in November 2024.
Now, Skattebo has left that fandom behind in Tempe. He’ll be taking handoffs and catching passes from the same quarterback who once ruined his Sundays. Life, like football, has a funny way of turning old villains into new teammates.
