New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo apologized for what he called “a tasteless joke” he made on a podcast.
During an appearance on the Bring the Juice podcast with Frank Dalena, Skattebo suggested that chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease known as CTE, was not real and called it “an excuse.” He also joked with the show’s host about asthma, saying, “Literally just breathe air.”
The Giants standout posted his apology on X after the comments went viral.
“I recently did an interview and had a lapse in judgment, which resulted in me making a tasteless joke about CTE and asthma,” Skattebo wrote in a post on X. “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.”
CTE is most commonly found in athletes, particularly those who participate in contact sports such as football, and it can be identified only posthumously.
The NFL has taken steps to improve player safety in recent years in the form of specialized equipment and rules changes.
Skattebo’s mother posted on X defending his joke and detailing her own experience with an inhaler.
If only people knew how many times cam had to “run and get mom’s inhaler” they’d realize the sarcasm…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. 🤷🏼♀️ https://t.co/vQmwFpLOOk
— Becky Skattebo (@BeckySkattebo) March 22, 2026
Skattebo tallied 410 rushing yards and five touchdowns along with 207 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2025 before a dislocated ankle ended his rookie season.
He’s faced criticism for his off-field activities this season. In November, he drew the ire of fans for appearing on “Monday Night Raw” with some of his teammates shortly after suffering the season-ending injury.
Skattebo defended his appearance with a post on X.
“I’m not able to play football and have the fun I’ve been having my whole life so I am doing things outside the box trying to find stuff to keep me happy.”