Ryan Leaf Addresses Verbal Altercation With Former Chargers Doctor At Super Bowl On OutKick's 'Hot Mic'

Former Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf has made headlines from Super Bowl radio row this week, thanks to a confrontation with former Chargers team doctor, Dr. David Chao.

Leaf's tenure in San Diego, from 1998-2000, overlapped with Chao's time as a part of the Chargers organization. And clearly, he's still holding a grudge over whatever disagreements the two may have had. A longtime sports broadcaster and media personality in San Diego and Southern California, Scott Kaplan, told the story on the Wednesday edition of "Kaplan and Crew" from Radio Row. Kaplan explained that Chao had been speaking to someone else when Leaf approached them. 

"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. In his face!"

Kaplan also said the conversation "got very aggressive," with Leaf reportedly adding, "f*** you" to Chao. On Thursday, Leaf joined OutKick's "Hot Mic" to discuss what happened, and what caused his disagreements with Chao.

Nov 29, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Former NFL and Washington State Cougars quarter back Ryan Leaf walks the field before a game against the Oregon State Beavers at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

Ryan Leaf Says Chao Is ‘Despicable Person’

When asked whether he'd talk to Chao at some point in the future, Leaf said a flat "no." Then continued, explaining why.

"I just think he's a despicable person," Leaf said. "And that's hard for me who looks at everybody with a real glass half-full thing. I just think he is just… after all the things we've seen now, right? You know, we talk about doctors and vaccines and all the nonsense that you don't believe in the moment. Like, how could somebody who was a doctor and his friend do something that would damage somebody that way?"

Leaf also compared his view of Chao to other doctors associated with prominent figures like Jim Irsay and Matthew Perry.

"But everything we look at when we look back, we're seeing it with the Jim Irsay situation right now," Leaf explained. "A doctor and that process of things. Like this is, you know, Matthew Perry was a friend of mine. You know, like this is like a real thing that people don't want to talk about. So it's a conversation."

Chad Withrow reminded him that Perry's doctor is "facing criminal charges," to which Leaf added, "They should all be facing criminal charges."

Leaf also explained why he was so immediately frustrated with Chao's reaction, saying that instead of having a one-on-one conversation, Chao wanted to have the discussion on Ross Tucker's podcast. "Yeah, the first thing he did though was like, 'why don't we go on Ross Tucker's pod and talk about,' and I was like I think I said ‘F you and F Ross Tucker.’

He continued, saying that wasn't a shot at Ross Tucker, more annoyance with trying to have a private conversation in a public forum. Any public forum. After Withrow said they're "friends with Ross Tucker," Leaf replied, "I'm friends with Ross Tucker too, I mean it could have been like, why don't we go on the OutKick show and talk about this, I would have been, ‘FU in the OutKick boys,’ that was the message at the point, it just didn't matter what it was."

Note: Dr. Chao has been a contributor to OutKick in the past. 

Check out the full clips below: