Notre Dame, which is coming off their most successful season in recent history and an appearance in the national championship game, is in the upper echelon of the college football world once again and are looking to keep it that way. However, they will have to do it without linebacker Danny Spond, who has voluntarily decided to end his playing career.

Spond decided to call it quits after suffering a severe migraine that had symptoms similar to that of a stroke. Even scarier, it was the second such migraine that the youngster had suffered. The incidents, known as hemiplegic migraines, are extremely debilitating, and the cause of them in Spond is unknown.

After Spond suffered the first migraine last season he had to undergo treatment to learn how to walk again. However, he recovered well and only missed two games before starting the next 11 and racking up 39 tackles in the process. The decision to end his career now is one that is incredibly sad for such a young talent, but it may ultimately prevent him from experiences such misery again and could even save his life if the contact from playing football is the cause of the migraines.

It might have been extremely difficult to tell his teammates and coaches that he was leaving them, but in the long run it may be the best decision Danny Spond ever made.