NFL player Cam Skattebo’s controversial denial of CTE and asthma legitimacy sparks backlash
Consensus Summary
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo faced widespread backlash after dismissing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and asthma as 'fake' during a podcast interview in 2025. Skattebo, who was a rookie that season, called CTE an 'excuse' and suggested asthma sufferers should 'just breathe air,' sparking criticism given the scientific consensus on both conditions. CTE, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma, was found in nearly all former NFL players examined in studies, while asthma is a life-threatening respiratory condition affecting millions. Skattebo later apologized on social media, framing his remarks as a 'tasteless joke' and clarifying he did not intend to downplay the seriousness of the issues. His mother, who is asthmatic, defended his comments as sarcastic, sharing personal anecdotes about her son’s struggles with her inhaler. The NFL and Giants have remained silent on the controversy, though Skattebo’s rookie season was cut short by an ankle injury after he posted strong stats in his first eight games.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Cam Skattebo, a 24-year-old New York Giants running back, dismissed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as an 'excuse' and asthma as 'fake' during a Bring the Juice podcast appearance in 2025
- Skattebo’s comments included the statement 'Yeah, asthma’s fake too' and 'just breathe air'
- CTE is a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated head trauma, with symptoms including mood swings, depression, suicidal thoughts, and memory loss
- A 2017 study found CTE in 110 of 111 former football players examined, and the NFL acknowledged a link between football and CTE in 2016
- Skattebo scored seven touchdowns and ran for 410 yards in his rookie season (2025) before an ankle injury ended it
- Skattebo apologized on X (formerly Twitter) for his remarks, calling them a 'tasteless joke' and stating he did not intend to downplay the seriousness of the conditions
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Skattebo’s mother, Becky Skattebo, replied to her son’s apology post, stating she is asthmatic and shared a personal anecdote about Cam needing her inhaler multiple times, calling his comments sarcastic
- Becky Skattebo wrote: 'If only people knew how many times cam had to “run and get mom’s inhaler” they’d realize the sarcasm'
- Becky Skattebo added: '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'
- A 2023 Boston University study found evidence of CTE in roughly 92% of former NFL players whose brains were examined
- The article explicitly mentions former NFL players Junior Seau and Aaron Hernandez as cases where CTE was identified posthumously
- The Giants have not publicly commented on Skattebo’s remarks
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Article 1 states Skattebo was a popular figure with Giants fans in his rookie season (2025) due to his physical running style, while Article 2 does not mention his popularity or fan reception
- Article 1 notes Skattebo was a fourth-round pick out of Arizona State in the 2025 NFL draft, but Article 2 does not specify the draft round
- Article 1 includes a direct quote from Skattebo’s apology on X, while Article 2 does not reproduce the apology text verbatim
- Article 1 mentions Skattebo’s mother’s response in detail, including her personal anecdote, while Article 2 omits this entirely
- Article 1 states Skattebo’s season ended early due to an ankle injury, but Article 2 does not specify the injury type
Source Articles
Giants’ Cam Skattebo says his denial of CTE and asthma were part of a ‘tasteless joke’
Running back retracts comments he gave on podcast Player’s mother says she is asthmatic New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo has apologized for saying that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) ...
‘It’s an excuse’: New York Giants’ Cam Skattebo says CTE and asthma are ‘fake’
Skattebo calls CTE and asthma ‘fake’ on podcast Comments draw backlash citing medical consensus Giants have not publicly responded to remarks New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is facing backla...