Giants running back Cam Skattebo apologizes for CTE, asthma remarks

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo sparked controversy during a recent podcast interview where he made dismissive remarks about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and asthma.

“New York Giants’ Cam Skattebo could have faced trouble after claiming that CTE is “not real”

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During an episode of the 'Bring the Juice' podcast with host Frank Dalena, Skattebo was directly asked if he believes CTE is 'a real thing.'

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The 24-year-old running back responded with a definitive 'No,' followed by his controversial assertion that 'It's an excuse.'

Skattebo extended his skepticism to asthma as well, making unsolicited comments that suggested the chronic lung disease is not legitimate.

These remarks came from a player whose own promising rookie season was cut short by an ankle injury, raising questions about his awareness of serious medical conditions affecting athletes.

Following immediate backlash from fans, medical professionals, and the wider sports community, Skattebo issued a public apology on his X social media account.

The second-year running back acknowledged his comments as a 'lapse in judgment' that resulted in him making 'a tasteless joke about CTE and asthma.'

ESPN

In his apology, Skattebo emphasized that it was 'never my intention to downplay the seriousness of head injuries or asthma' and expressed sincere regret to anyone who may have been offended.

The apology concluded with an assurance that he would be 'more mindful and respectful going forward.'

This public mea culpa came just hours after his controversial remarks began circulating widely across sports media platforms.

In an unexpected development, Skattebo's mother Becky entered the fray to defend her son against the mounting criticism.

“Skip to main content Home NFL NBA NHL MLB WNBA Outdoors BetFTW Casinos Newsletter Pop Culture College Football Men's College Basketball Women's College Basketball MotorSports Golf USA TODAY Sports Cam Skattebo apologizes for 'tasteless' CTE, asthma joke Cam Skattebo apologizes for 'tasteless' CTE, asthma joke Cory Woodroof For The Win New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo has walked back insensitive comments he made about CTE and asthma on a recent podcast”

For The Win

Responding to his apology post on X, Becky Skattebo revealed that she herself is asthmatic and suggested that her son's controversial comments had been intended as sarcasm rather than literal dismissal of serious medical conditions.

'If only people knew how many times cam had to run and get mom's inhaler they'd realize the sarcasm,' she wrote, adding that 'You'll never make everyone happy and you'll never say all the right things and people are bound to spin something sooner or later in a direction it was never intended to go.'

Her defense attempted to contextualize her son's remarks within family dynamics and suggested a misunderstanding of his intended humor.

Medical experts and researchers have long established the scientific reality of CTE as a serious degenerative brain disease, with numerous studies documenting its prevalence among athletes.

A significant 2023 study by the Boston University CTE Center examined 152 brains from youth, high school, and college athletes who died before age 30 and found that more than 40% of those exposed to repetitive head impacts were diagnosed with CTE.

MARCA

The condition involves the buildup of toxic tau protein in the brain caused by repeated head trauma, and has been linked to the deaths of numerous high-profile athletes including Junior Seau, Conrad Dobler, and Dave Duerson.

Meanwhile, asthma affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and can lead to death in extreme cases, making Skattebo's dismissive remarks particularly alarming to medical professionals and patient advocates.

The controversy comes amid Skattebo's professional trajectory with the Giants, where he had established himself as a promising young talent before his rookie season was cut short.

“A Giants offseason that has seemingly been filled with plenty of positive vibes suddenly has a rather eyebrow-raising detour”

New York Post

In his 2025 debut season, the physical running back scored seven touchdowns and accumulated 410 rushing yards before suffering a dislocated ankle in Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

New York Post

The injury prematurely ended what had been an impressive start to his NFL career, and he had become a popular figure among Giants fans due to his aggressive running style.

As of the current reporting, Skattebo is described as progressing steadily in his recovery from the serious ankle injury, though the team has not yet released an official statement regarding his controversial remarks about CTE and asthma.