New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo apologizes for podcast comments on CTE and asthma

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo apologized for comments made during a recent podcast appearance in which he stated that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was not a "real thing" and described asthma as an "excuse."

Skattebo, a second-year NFL player, later posted an apology on X, formerly Twitter. "I recently did an interview and had a lapse in judgment, which resulted in me making a tasteless joke about CTE and asthma," he wrote. "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 !!!"

Becky Skattebo, the player's mother, defended her son on X. "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," she wrote.

CTE is a progressive degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head trauma, according to the Mayo Clinic.[1]

Sources

1. Mayo Clinic, "Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)," accessed October 2024, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370921