New York Giants running back Cam Skattbo is facing backlash after he claimed that Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and asthma are fake.
During a recent appearance on the “Bring The Juice” podcast, the 24-year-old football player was asked whether he believes CTE, a degenerative brain disease, is “a real thing.”
“No, it’s an excuse,” Skattbo, who formerly played in college for Sacramento State and Arizona State, said.
The host, Frank Dalena, then asked whether asthma is also an excuse.
“No, that’s a good take,” Skattbo replied. “Yes, asthma’s fake…yeah just literally breathe air.”
The brief clip was shared widely on social media, drawing millions of views and sparking ridicule from a number of commenters.
“Talk about ignorance,” wrote one X user, while another chimed in: “I think that’s the CTE talking.”
Still, some argued that the player’s comments should not be scrutinized too closely.
“He’s a good running back, Not a doctor,” wrote one user who came to Skattbo’s defense. “You guys need to calm down.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, CTE causes brain nerve cells to die and gradually worsens over time. The condition remains poorly understood and can only be confirmed after death through an autopsy.
It’s been detected in a number of former football players, including Aaron Hernandez, a New England Patriots tight end who was arrested for murder in 2013 and later died by suicide in prison.
A study from Boston University found signs of CTE in about 92 percent of ex-NFL players whose brains were analyzed. In 2016, the NFL’s health and safety officer acknowledged there is a link between CTE and football-related trauma. His comments came one year after the release of the film “Concussion,” in which Will Smith played a forensic pathologist studying CTE in the NFL.
Asthma, meanwhile, is a condition that causes a person’s airways to narrow, making breathing difficult, according to the Mayo Clinic. Millions of people worldwide suffer from it.
Skattbo, a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, emerged as a key player on the Giants’ offense, running for 410 yards and scoring five touchdowns that year. His season came to an early close due to an ankle injury.
Neither he nor the Giants has publicly addressed his recent comments.
