Contentious Exchange Revisited on Radio Row
A long-standing rivalry flared up recently on Radio Row in San Diego.
Sports talk host Scott Kaplan claimed on his show Wednesday that former Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf had a confrontation with Dr. David Chao, a former team doctor, during an earlier incident at Radio Row. Leaf reportedly described Chao in a rather unflattering light, referring to him as “very aggressive.”
According to Kaplan, Chao was preparing to take his seat when Leaf approached him and seemed to become confrontational. Other talk show hosts praised Chao for handling the entire situation well, and a contestant on the show even played a clip featuring an animated Leaf addressing Chao.
“I didn’t do anything big,” Chao remarked. He asserted that he never felt threatened during their interactions, adding, “Ryan, God bless you… This is the first time he’s ever said anything to me. I stayed away from the fight.” Chao wished Leaf well in his recovery and reflected on their previous interactions, mentioning he attended Leaf’s wedding.
In that same exchange, Chao defended himself against accusations Leaf made concerning his follow-up with the Seau family after Junior Seau died by suicide in 2012. Chao stated that Leaf asked if he had visited Seau’s widow, Gina, to discourage her from studying her husband’s brain, and Chao insisted that Leaf had the facts mixed up.
“The day after Junior died, Gina and my oldest daughter came to my house for advice on how to study the brain. I said, ‘You’re getting your facts wrong,'” Chao explained.
Chao mentioned that he invited Leaf to appear on his podcast, but Leaf declined, possibly in reference to former NFL player Ross Tucker’s presence on the show that day. Kaplan noted an instance where Leaf reportedly said, “Forget you and Ross Tucker,” which troubled him.
“I don’t understand what’s wrong with him,” Kaplan expressed, pointing out that Leaf’s behavior seemed unprofessional. He elaborated, stating that it was inappropriate for someone working in a professional capacity to verbally attack others at Radio Row.
Chao claimed that following the altercation, Leaf gestured rudely toward him but suggested he didn’t want any formal action taken against Leaf. “Snitches sew,” Chao said. “I’m not going to report Ryan… Was it inappropriate? You decide.”
This tension between Leaf and Chao has roots that go back to their time with the Chargers. Leaf was with the team for three seasons after being drafted second overall in 1998, just behind Peyton Manning.
Chao’s history with the Chargers spanned from 1997 to 2013. Leaf had once filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Chao in 2002 over his treatment of injuries incurred during his playing days, though he later dropped the case.
At one point, the NFL Players Association even sought to have Chao removed from his position. However, Chao was later fully cleared by three independent doctors in 2013.
Kaplan has strongly criticized Leaf’s actions, asserting that he finds them completely unacceptable, especially concerning Chao’s relationship with the Seau family.
“That’s why Ryan is so outrageous, so inappropriate, so unprofessional, so uncool,” Kaplan concluded.
