New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo has found himself at the center of a growing controversy after comments he made on a podcast about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy sparked backlash across the football world. In the clip, Skattebo dismisses CTE and Asthma as “being excuses” and further jokes about the conditions.
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Within 24 hours, Skattebo attempted to walk back the remarks. Posting on X, he said the comments were intended as humor and acknowledged they were inappropriate. He apologized to anyone who felt hurt or disrespected and stated that he would be more mindful when discussing sensitive subjects in the future. However, his public apology did little to quiet critics, including analyst Emmanuel Acho.
Speaking on his platform, he criticized both the content of Skattebo’s remarks and the way the clip had been packaged for social media.
“CTE is not something that you joke with. That’s not something that you play with. That’s not something that you play about,” Acho said, recalling past interviews he conducted with families of players who later suffered from the disease.
He also questioned the framing of the clip itself. “You knew what y’all were doing because it was a beautiful edit in an Instagram reel, sound effects and everything,” Acho added, suggesting the presentation made the comments feel more deliberate than accidental.
"[CTE] is not something you joke with, play with, or play about… [Cam] Skattebo, YOUUU shouldn't be making that joke"
– @EmmanuelAcho weighs in on the recent viral video of Cam Skattebo saying CTE and asthma are "excuses"
WE ARE STILL LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/f4H3dQB55c pic.twitter.com/poVRz8f3An
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) March 23, 2026
Acho reserved his strongest criticism for Skattebo’s personal situation, pointing out the irony that a player whose game is built on repeated physical contact would joke about a condition linked directly to such impacts.
“If anybody shouldn’t be making a joke, you, Skattebo, shouldn’t be making a joke,” Acho said. “You play the type of game that scientists would suggest lends itself to CTE based upon the contact after contact after contact.”
He concluded with a blunt assessment of the situation: “It’s not even a tasteless joke. it’s a detrimental joke. It’s a dangerous joke.”
The apology from Skattebo acknowledged poor judgment, but it did not directly address the broader issue Acho raised. That public figures in football carry influence when speaking about player health.
Research from groups such as the Boston University CTE Center has shown a strong link between repeated head trauma and long-term neurological disease, making the topic particularly sensitive within the sport.
