Overview
- Leaf and Dr. David Chao engaged in a heated exchange on Radio Row, described by eyewitness Scott Kaplan as very aggressive and laced with profanity.
- Chao said he did not feel threatened, does not plan to report the incident, and invited Leaf to discuss their differences on a podcast or Ross Tucker’s show.
- In a subsequent OutKick interview, Leaf called Chao a despicable person, rejected any future discussion with him, and said his profanity toward Ross Tucker reflected opposition to debating the matter publicly.
- Chao disputed Leaf’s long-stated claims about his role after Junior Seau’s death, saying Seau’s family sought his advice and that he helped secure an NIH brain study.
- Their rift spans decades, including Leaf’s 2002 malpractice suit later dropped, NFLPA efforts to remove Chao, a 2013 independent review that exonerated him, and a 2014 state medical probation unrelated to the Radio Row encounter.