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NFL Star Running Back ‘Canceled’ Over Horrible CTE Comments Sparks Massive Backlash

An NFL running back is facing intense backlash and calls for “cancellation” after making dismissive and widely condemned comments about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) during a recent podcast appearance.

Many fans and former players labeling the remarks as dangerous, ignorant, and deeply disrespectful to those affected by the degenerative brain disease.

Apr 1, 2025; Palm Beach, FL, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addresses the media at the NFL Annual League Meeting at The Breakers. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Star NFL Running Back Cam Skattebo Facing Viral Backlash Over CTE Comments

The player in question is New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo. In an episode of the “Bring the Juice” podcast, the 24-year-old was asked directly if he thinks CTE is real. Shaking his head, Skattebo replied:

“No, it’s an excuse.”

When the host followed up with the premise that asthma is “an excuse too,” Skattebo agreed, saying:

“No, that’s a good take. Yes, asthma’s fake too. You’re just soft.”

The comments exploded online almost immediately, with fans, medical professionals, former players, and CTE advocates condemning the remarks as not only factually wrong but actively harmful. CTE has been diagnosed in hundreds of former NFL players through postmortem studies, including high-profile cases such as Junior Seau, Dave Duerson, and Ken Stabler.

A 2023 Boston University CTE Center study found CTE in over 40% of brains donated by young athletes (mostly football players) who died before age 30 after repeated head impacts.

Asthma, meanwhile, affects an estimated 262 million people worldwide according to the World Health Organization and is a serious chronic respiratory condition.

Cam Skattebo Issues Apology After Backlash

Facing mounting criticism, Skattebo issued an apology on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday:

“I recently did an interview and had a lapse in judgment, which resulted in me making a tasteless joke about CTE and asthma. It was never my intention to downplay the seriousness of head injuries or asthma. I sincerely apologize to anyone that was offended by my remarks, and I assure you that I’ll be more mindful and respectful going forward. Much love !!!”

His mother, Becky Skattebo, also defended him on X, claiming the comments were sarcastic and pointing out that Cam had frequently retrieved her inhaler growing up, implying the asthma remark was meant as inside-family humor that was poorly executed.

Real Online Reactions on Twitter/X

The backlash was swift and widespread. Here are some verified reactions from X users (paraphrased and anonymized where appropriate for clarity):

“Cam Skattebo saying CTE is an excuse is one of the most brain-dead things I’ve ever heard from an active player. Absolutely disgusting.”

“Bro said asthma is fake too? Tell that to the millions of kids who can’t breathe without an inhaler. Clown behavior.”

“This is why CTE research is so important. Players like Skattebo still don’t get it. Shameful.”

“As someone who lost a family member to CTE complications, hearing an NFL player call it an ‘excuse’ makes me sick. Apology doesn’t cut it.”

“He tried to walk it back with the ‘tasteless joke’ excuse. Too late. Words have weight, especially from someone in the league.”

“His mom saying it was sarcasm about asthma is wild. Still doesn’t excuse dismissing CTE like that.”

The Giants have not issued an official statement as of March 22, 2026, but the controversy has already dominated NFL discourse heading into the offseason.

For more NFL news, CTE discussions, player controversies, and Cam Skattebo updates, stay tuned.

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