Druski faces athlete backlash over controversial CTE comedy skit

Comedian Druski is facing significant backlash from professional athletes following a social media sketch centered on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The video, posted on August 26, depicts a football player experiencing a concussion and subsequent erratic, aggressive behavior.

Former NFL safety and Super Bowl champion T. J. Ward criticized the skit on the ‘Speakeasy’ podcast, stating that CTE is a ‘life-taking disease’ and arguing that it should not be used as a punchline. Ward compared the mockery of CTE to how society would treat other serious conditions like cancer or dementia. NBA All-Star Michael Redd also expressed disapproval on social media, suggesting the comedian should ‘leave football alone.’

The controversy highlights the sensitivity surrounding brain health in contact sports. According to a study mentioned in the reports, approximately 25 percent of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 were found to have had CTE.