New York Giants running back Cam Skattbo has ignited a firestorm of criticism following controversial statements dismissing both Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and asthma as fabricated conditions.

The 24-year-old athlete made the inflammatory remarks during his appearance on the "Bring The Juice" podcast, where hosts questioned him about the legitimacy of CTE, a progressive neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated head trauma.

When asked directly whether he considers CTE genuine, Skattbo, who previously competed at Sacramento State and Arizona State, responded bluntly: "No, it's an excuse."

Host Frank Dalena pressed further, extending the question to asthma, a respiratory condition affecting millions globally.

Skattbo doubled down: "No, that's a good take. Yes, asthma's fake…yeah just literally breathe air."

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The exchange rapidly circulated across social platforms, accumulating millions of views and triggering intense backlash from the online community.

One X user characterized the remarks as demonstrating profound ignorance, while another suggested ironically that CTE itself might explain the player's perspective.

However, not all reactions condemned Skattbo. Some observers argued his athletic expertise shouldn't be conflated with medical knowledge.

"He's a good running back, Not a doctor," one defender posted. "You guys need to calm down."

The Mayo Clinic characterizes CTE as a progressive condition causing neuronal degeneration that advances over time. The disease remains incompletely understood by researchers and can only be definitively diagnosed posthumously through brain tissue examination.

Numerous former professional football players have been posthumously diagnosed with CTE, including Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end whose 2013 murder arrest and subsequent prison suicide brought heightened attention to the condition.

Boston University researchers documented CTE indicators in approximately 92 percent of former NFL players whose brain tissue underwent postmortem analysis. The NFL's health and safety officer publicly acknowledged the connection between football-related head trauma and CTE in 2016, a year following the theatrical release of "Concussion," which featured Will Smith portraying a forensic pathologist investigating the disease's prevalence among professional players.

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Regarding asthma, the Mayo Clinic defines it as a chronic respiratory disorder characterized by airway constriction that impedes normal breathing. The condition affects millions of individuals worldwide across all demographics.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, Skattbo established himself as a productive offensive contributor for the Giants, accumulating 410 rushing yards and five touchdowns before an ankle injury prematurely ended his rookie campaign.

As of publication, neither Skattbo nor the Giants organization has issued any statement addressing the podcast remarks.