‘It’s an excuse’: New York Giants’ Cam Skattebo says CTE and asthma are ‘fake’ | New York Giants
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is facing backlash after calling chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and asthma “fake” during a recent podcast appearance.
Speaking on the Bring the Juice podcast, the 24-year-old was asked if he believed CTE – a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma – was real. Skattebo called it an “excuse,” agreeing with the host before making a similar claim about asthma.
“Yes, asthma is wrong too,” Skattebo said, adding at one point that people should “just breathe air.”
The comments drew criticism given the scientific consensus around the two conditions.
CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a progressive neurological disease associated with repeated blows to the head. It is characterized by an abnormal buildup of tau protein in the brain, which can damage blood vessels and disrupt functions related to memory, mood and impulse control. Symptoms may include cognitive decline, behavioral changes and, in advanced cases, dementia. The disease can only be definitively diagnosed posthumously.
It has been identified in many former football players after their deaths, including Junior Seau and Aaron Hernandez. A 2023 Boston University study found evidence of CTE in about 92% of former NFL players whose brains were examined, while the league finally acknowledged a link between football and the disease in 2016.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of Americans and can be life-threatening in severe cases.
Skattebo, a fourth-round pick out of Arizona State in the 2025 NFL Draft, became a key contributor for the Giants as a rookie before his season ended prematurely due to an ankle injury. He finished with 410 rushing yards and five touchdowns in eight games.
The Giants have not publicly commented on his comments.
