Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams is day to day after an MRI on Monday showed no fractures or major structural damage to the ankle he injured Sunday, a team source told ESPN's Britt McHenry.
Williams left the Steelers' 28-12 win over the Cleveland Browns in the second quarter and did not return.
A source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that Williams told at least one teammate after the game, before he underwent the MRI on Monday, that he thought it was foot/ankle strain, and not serious.
Williams' teammates had been encouraged when he was able to jog from the sideline during the second half while testing his right ankle for a possible return.
Guard Ramon Foster joked that Williams nearly made a triumphant re-entrance similar to that of Paul Pierce in the 2008 NBA Finals against the Lakers.
About an hour earlier, trainers had carried Williams off the field and onto a cart, on which he headed to the locker room.
"I look forward to seeing him back next week," Foster said hopefully.
The Steelers (10-6) open the playoffs at Cincinnati (12-4) on Saturday night after squeaking in with the win and the New York Jets' loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Williams has been solid all year for Pittsburgh, leading all Steelers playmakers with 11 touchdowns and rushing for 907 yards despite playing sparingly in six games behind injured Le'Veon Bell.
Fitz Toussaint replaced Williams and finished with 24 yards on 12 carries.