The Super Bowl isn't for another few days, but those at the NFL's radio row on Wednesday, February 4, saw a show of their own when former quarterback Ryan Leaf allegedly confronted Dr. David Chao. San Diego sports talk host Scott Kaplan witnessed the alleged dispute, which he said occurred just behind him, and described it on his show, Kaplan & Crew, as "very aggressive." "Ryan Leaf has got a bone to pick with everybody," Kaplan said. "He goes on Twitter and he just tries to rattle cages. He comes over and before you know it, he is in Dr. David Chao's face." When Chao joined Kaplan & Crew, he went into more detail. Patriots QB Drake Maye Addresses Injury Rumors Before Super Bowl "I'm not making a big deal out of it," Chao said. "I wish the best for Ryan. I'm not sure why over the 10 years here at Radio Row, I've seen him dozens of times, this is the first time he's ever said anything to me." Chao, also known among fans as "Pro Football Doc," was the San Diego Chargers' team doctor from 1997 to 2013, coinciding with Leaf's time in San Diego from 1998 to 2000. Leaf, 49, filed a malpractice suit against Chao in 2002 over how he treated the quarterback's injuries when he was with the Chargers, but he eventually dropped the suit. The controversial doctor faced additional malpractice lawsuits, which cost him more than $8 million, according to a 2013 report from USA Today. The NFL Players Association sought to have him removed from his position and the Medical Board of California attempted to revoke his medical license. A 2010 investigation by the DEA also found he had written over 100 prescriptions to himself. He came under more scrutiny in 2012 when former Charger Junior Seau died by suicide when it was discovered Chao had been prescribing him Ambien. The Medical Board accused him of gross negligence and he was placed on probation for four years beginning in 2017. Brian Daboll's Heated Sideline Exchange With Doctor Prompts NFL Investigation Leaf allegedly called him out about it on Wednesday. "He's been accusing me of, 'Why did you go to Gina Seau's house to convince her not to study Junior's brain.' And I said, 'Well, you have the facts wrong, Ryan,'" Chao continued. "And that's the only thing I said to him. Gina and her oldest daughter came to my house the day after Junior died and asked me for advice on how to get the brain studied and I got the brain studied at the NIH." Seau's family eventually sent his brain tissue to the National Institute of Health to study for signs of CTE. The NIH has not made the results public. While Kaplan called Leaf's confrontation "completely unprofessional," Chao said he was ready to move on from the incident. "Snitches get stitches," he said. "I am not gonna report Ryan to anyone. It didn't get physical, it was words. Was it inappropriate? You be the judge." Though Chao said this was the first time Leaf had ever confronted him in person, the ex quarterback has called him out on social media multiple times, including in December 2025, when he commented on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes having the Dallas Cowboys' team doctor perform his ACL surgery. "Wish we did this back in the day, going to the best Dr available instead of having to be butchered on by @ProFootballDoc #FakeDr Chao if you were a @chargers player," he wrote via X.