Former NBA All-Star Michael Redd has publicly called out comedian Druski after his viral online skit about player concussions sparked widespread backlash in the sporting world.
Redd emphasized that Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) remains a terrifying real-world struggle for professional athletes and should never be turned into a comedic “punchline.”
Michael Redd Calls Out Druski Over Controversial CTE Skit
On Wednesday, Druski posted a viral skit titled “ATHLETES GET CONCUSSIONS & LOSE THEIR MINDS.” In the video, he plays a fictional star running back named Ray Price.
During a game, Price takes a violent hit that knocks his helmet off and leaves him visibly disoriented on the field. The game announcers brush off the injury, but Price’s behavior takes a wild turn.
After the hit, Price starts acting erratically. He leads police on a high-speed car chase in a gold Ferrari while screaming about CTE. He records himself acting weirdly, talks wildly into Ring doorbell cameras, and bangs his head against a locker room wall. He even attempts a sudden career shift into rap music.
The video ends at a tense press conference, where a confused Price tells reporters he does not remember anything and that he just plays football. When journalists try to ask about brain trauma, his PR team cuts off questions and ends the press conference.
Athletes get Concussions & LOSE THEIR MINDS 😂 pic.twitter.com/K77khdzdSE
— DRUSKI (@druski) August 26, 2026
While many fans found the skit hilarious, some sports professionals disliked the topic. Redd called out Druski on X, arguing that severe head trauma should not be turned into comedy.
“Druski’s had a heck of a run, and he’s better at his craft than I ever was at mine. Respect to him. But he might wanna leave football alone. The JSN thing at Honors was bad. Now he’s out here making CTE a punchline? Come on,” Redd wrote.
“I played pro sports for a living. CTE is the thing that scares guys in my world more than just about anything, and that’s true across every contact sport. It’s taken guys we grew up watching. You don’t build a bit around that. Comedy’s his lane, and he’s great there. Football though? He might be done with that one…” Redd added.
Druski’s had a heck of a run, and he’s better at his craft than I ever was at mine. Respect to him.
But he might wanna leave football alone. The JSN thing at Honors was bad. Now he’s out here making CTE a punchline? Come on.
I played pro sports for a living. CTE is the thing…
— Michael Redd (@MichaelRedd_) August 27, 2026
The frustration from athletes stems from how serious CTE really is. It is a progressive brain disease caused by repeated hits to the head.
Boston University researchers found that at least 24.5% of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, with over 90% of donated brain samples showing clear signs of the disease.
For professional athletes, head trauma is a scary reality. Druski’s skit proved that turning real-life medical suffering into a joke can easily cross the line.
