Colts' Darius Leonard Details Recovery from Week 2 Concussion

As he recovered from the concussion he suffered in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard began pondering the long-term ramifications.

"The third week, that's when I really started thinking, 'Wait a minute. Now I have a wife and kid. I've had a headache for three weeks. Will I ever be the same? Do I keep playing?'" Leonard said Monday, per The Athletic's Stephen Holder. "You have those thoughts in the back of your head."

Leonard added that he grew frustrated during the recovery process because of the nebulous nature of concussions. There wasn't a firm rehab plan for him to follow in order to speed up his return to the field.

Holder explained how serious the effects from the concussion were in the weeks after the game: "So severe, in fact, that Leonard was told by the team's medical staff to stay home from the Colts' practice facility for nearly two weeks. He would come in and undergo daily tests, then head home and look for a dark and quiet corner of the house to occupy."

Leonard received the green light from team doctors last week, when the Colts were on their bye.

Holder wrote that the 2018 All-Pro spoke to teammates who had suffered concussions, which provided him with a level of reassurance regarding his previous concerns.

The physical toll of the NFL and concussions, in particular, have been a prominent topic for the league in recent years.

Chris Borland, a third-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2014, walked away after his rookie year, saying at the time he didn't think playing in the NFL was "worth the risk."

More recently, former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski speculated he suffered 20 concussions during his nine-year career.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said Leonard contemplated retirement. It has been revised to more accurately reflect Leonard's comments. We regret the error.