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A Giants offseason that has seemingly been filled with plenty of positive vibes suddenly has a rather eyebrow-raising detour.
Rising second-year running back Cam Skattebo said he believes Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and asthma are both fake medical conditions during an episode of the “Bring The Juice” podcast.
Host Frank Dalena asked the 24-year-old about the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated hits to the head that has afflicted plenty of football players: “You think CTE’s a real thing?”
“No,” the former Arizona State star said while shaking his head. “It’s an excuse.”
The conversation veered into another health topic when Dalena followed by stating he believes asthma, a chronic lung disease that can make breathing difficult, is also “an excuse too.”
He then asked Skattebo if that was a hot take, and the running back agreed.
“No, that’s a good take,” Skattebo said. “Yes, asthma’s fake too.”
The pair drove the point home further, with Dalena mocking those with the condition, asking if there’s anything worse than fourth-graders who are “huffing and puffing.”
“You’re just soft,” he said.
Cam Skattebo on a scooter after suffering his season-ending injury. Robert Sabo for NY PostSkattebo then provided another questionable response.
“Just literally breathe air,” Skattebo said, while Dalena added: “Be better.”
Skattebo’s remarks oppose plenty of available scientific data.
He’s not the only athlete to say they don’t believe in CTE, but the correlation with football players is notable.
The Boston University CTE Center said in 2023 that 91.7 percent of former players (345 of 376) it studied had been diagnosed with the disease.
Aaron Hernandez and Junior Seau are among the former NFL players who committed suicide and were later diagnosed with the disease.
Asthma does not have the strong link to football like CTE, but it’s a disease that affects millions of Americans.
The National Center for Health Statistics said in 2024 that 8.6 percent of adults 18 or older have asthma, and 6.5 percent of children under 18 suffer from it.
Ann McKee, director of Boston University’s center for research into the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, addresses an audience on the school’s campus Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 about the study of NFL football player Aaron Hernandez’s brain, projected on a screen, behind right, in Boston. APIt reported that 3,722 people died from asthma during its reporting window.
These comments from Skattebo come while he’s working his way back from a season-ending ankle injury after a strong rookie campaign.
He rushed for 410 yards and five scores after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, emerging as the team’s starter before his season ended in Week 8.
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