Cris Carter Rips Young RB over Terrible Take
Most of the time, CTE in sports, and in the NFL especially, isn’t debatable topic, but New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo tried to turn it into one last month. Skattebo said CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) was fake, along with asthma. A few weeks later, former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver and Hall of Famer Cris Carter took aim at Skattebo’s assertion, naturally calling it false.
Skattebo stepped into a serious topic, and Carter wasted no time firing back.
It was perhaps the easiest win of the year, and Carter nailed the assessment.
Carter Took Aim after Skattebo’s Remark Went Viral
Skattebo, a young ‘un, had an L on the topic.
Carter on CTE
Carter recently joined the Fully Loaded podcast, addressing the CTE topic. He said, “So as far as CTE, the thing that I know is ever since I’ve been in the Hall of Fame, it has hit closer, and it’s hit very, very different because I can see annually guys deteriorate.”
“I can see the greatest athletes in the world psychologically, mentally, and physically succumb to age, dementia, CTE, and some of them have died, and the studies came back immediately with them. I’m going out of my way so that I can be the healthiest version of myself, but I’m terrified. I don’t live life terrified, but I’m terrified of the potential.
About 10 years ago, Carter said on the same topic, “I’ve had teammates who killed themselves: Andre Waters, teammate of mine in Philadelphia. I’ve had good friends of mine: Junior Seau, Dave Duerson. Great men, guys that have done tremendous things in their community. All of a sudden they became violent and took their own lives. So I worry. I worry what my future is. I wonder what’s going to happen to our generation?”
For Carter — and most people — CTE isn’t a laughing matter, nor is it a “What side are you on?” ordeal.
Skattebo’s Previous Assertion(s)
Skattebo joined a podcast in March, and the show’s host, Frank Delana, baited him over CTE, telling listeners that it may not be real.
The young running back said, “It’s an excuse,” when replying about the effects of CTE. Delane piggybacked, claiming asthma was also fake, and Skattebo replied, “Just breathe,” as a medical solution to asthma.
Soon after, the internet circulated Skattebo’s wild takes, and he recanted the opinions. For some, the damage had been done, and Skattebo sounded like a nincompoop.
CTE Isn’t a Theory
The kicker here is that CTE shouldn’t be discussed on podcasts like ghost sightings or alien beliefs. CTE is real and irrefutable.
It just doesn’t make sense that CTE would be an issue where a person asserts an opinion about realism.
Mayo Clinic describes it: “Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as CTE, is a brain disease likely caused by repeated head injuries. It causes the death of nerve cells in the brain, known as degeneration. CTE gets worse over time. The only way to definitively diagnosis CTE is after death during an autopsy of the brain.”
“CTE is rare and not well understood, but experts don’t believe it’s related to a single head injury. CTE appears to be related to repeated head injuries, often occurring in contact sports or military combat. CTE also has been associated with second impact syndrome, when a second head injury occurs before symptoms of a previous head injury have fully resolved.”
Skattebo’s Offseason
On the field — Skattebo needs more of that and less podcast airtime — the second-year runner has a big season afoot. On October 28, 2025, just eight games into his NFL career, he suffered a gruesome dislocated ankle that ended his otherwise promising rookie campaign. Skattebo began the summer as the Giants’ RB2 behind Tyrone Tracy but quickly showed the chops for the RB1 job.
He wound up rushing for 410 yards and 5 touchdowns on 101 carries, a pace that translated close to 1,000 yards after entering the starting lineup and around 11 or 12 touchdowns. The vibe in New York was electric for a couple of weeks before the dislocated ankle, as Skattebo cooked and rookie passer Jaxson Dart hit a groove.
The consensus right now is that Skattebo will be ready by Week 1, though training camp will provide more hints. SI.com‘s Jeremy Brener noted Wednesday on Skattebo’s return date, “The determined running back has been attacking his rehab almost as hard as he attacks opposing linebackers at the second level. He tells anyone who asks that he is determined to return to the field as quickly as possible — by training camp at the latest. He may, in fact, be ready to do some on-field work before then.”
Maybe he’ll believe in the science of CTE by then.
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