Prior to being cleared from the NFL's concussion protocol on Monday, Colts second year linebacker Darius Leonard feared that his career may have been over before it could really get going. He suffered a concussion back in Week 2 against the Titans and has been out ever since with his "severe" symptoms not subsiding as time progressed. 

After being sidelined for a third straight week, Leonard began wondering if things would ever get back to normal. 

"The first week, I wasn't thinking about wife and kids, that stuff," Darius Leonard said Monday after returning to the Colts, via Jim Ayello of the Indy Star. "I was like 'OK, I've had a concussion before. I'll get over it.' Second week, I was like, 'Ahhh, you know, it's all right.' The third week, that's when I really started thinking, 'Wait a minute. I got a wife and kid. I've had a headache for three weeks now. Will I ever be the same? Do I keep playing?' I mean you have those thoughts in the back of your head."

While there was certainly fear that this concussion could bring a halt to his career, Leonard took to social media to clarify that retirement was not an option. 

Because of the erratic nature that comes along with the healing process from a concussion, Leonard simply had to ride out his recovery until it subsided. Within that timeframe of initially suffering the concussion and clearing the protocol, the team's medical staff actually had to ban him from the facility other than for half hour intervals to undergo testing. Being out on the practice field and being outside only made his headaches worse, so he couldn't watch practice and it took two weeks for him to be able to get back into team meetings. 

"It was definitely tough being away from the team, not being able to go out there and help your brothers out," Leonard said. "It definitely was rough, especially when I couldn't even be on the sidelines. It was definitely a tough time for me."

Leonard was taken in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Colts and enjoyed a fantastic first year in the league where he was named the league's defensive rookie of the year. He led the league with 163 total tackles to go along with seven sacks, four forced fumbles and two picks. 

Indy was certainly missing a key piece to its defense while he was recouping from that concussion, but was able to manage going 2-1 in that timeframe, which included an upset over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Now that the concussion is behind him, Leonard can get back to what is a very promising career.