Ryan Leaf reportedly confronts former NFL doctor David Chao on Super Bowl LX radio row: 'Snitches get stitches'

Ex-NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf and former NFL doctor David Chao have a long and contentious history stemming from their days together with the now-former San Diego Chargers. Apparently that history came to a head Wednesday morning on Super Bowl LX Radio Row when Leaf reportedly verbally accosted Chao in front of longtime San Diego media personality Scott Kaplan.

Kaplan revealed the early-morning confrontation between Chao and Leaf during his Kaplan and Crew podcast Wednesday from Radio Row in Santa Clara ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

“Ryan Leaf has a bone to pick with everybody, and he goes on Twitter and just tries to rattle cages,” Kaplan began. “And he comes over and before you know it he’s in Dr. Chao’s face — in his face!”

Kaplan explained the incident occurred at approximately 8:45 am PT when the 49-year-old Leaf interrupted a discussion between Chao, known as “Pro Football Doc” on social media for his insighful diagnoses of sports injuries, and his business partner Craig Dado. Leaf immediately became aggressive and reportedly got face-to-face with Chao, who reportedly maintained his cool throughout the entire encounter, according to Kaplan.

Dado then reportedly suggested Leaf continue his argument with Chao on CBS Sports’ Ross Tucker‘s podcast, where Chao was scheduled to appear Wednesday morning. That prompted an explosive reaction from Leaf.

“Ryan Leaf goes, right in Dado’s face, he goes ‘f**k you and f**k Ross Tucker,” Kaplan recalled. “It’s crazy what’s going on here today.”

Chao later made an appearance on Kaplan’s show and discussed the interaction with Leaf, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft whose football career was cut short due to poor play and injuries. After football, Leaf’s life spiraled as he battled drug addiction and other legal issues.

“Look, I didn’t feel threatened, let’s not make a bigger deal than it was,” Chao told Kaplan later, declining to delve too deep into the encounter while wishing Leaf well. “As my seventh-grade son says: ‘Snitches get stiches.’ I am not gonna report Ryan to anyone. It didn’t get physical, it was words. Was it inappropriate? You judge.”

Chao, who was placed on probabation by the California Medical Board in 2014 following an investigation into his prescribing Ambien to legendary Chargers linebacker Junior Seau in the months before his 2012 suicide, then explained the root of Leaf’s issue with him.

“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 said of his Wednesday altercation with Leaf. “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.”

Leaf, who was cut in early 2001 after just three seasons in San Diego before playing that season with the Dallas Cowboys, was among four former Chargers players to sue Chao in the early 2000s accusing the team doctor of misdianosing and mistreating their injuries. Three of those suits — including Leaf’s — were dropped without going to court, while a fourth was settled out of court, according to Deadspin.