The Houston Texans announced Friday that quarterback C.J. Stroud has been ruled out of Sunday's game against Cleveland.
Stroud suffered a concussion in the team's 30-6 Week 14 loss to the New York Jets and remained in the protocol after missing Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans.
When Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was asked earlier this week whether Stroud's injury could end his season, he said, "No."
"Each concussion is different. It takes a different amount of time for each person to heal," Ryans told reporters Wednesday. "He's just going through the protocol just like everyone else has. The most important thing is making sure C.J. is healthy."
Quarterback Case Keenum started in place of Stroud, who didn't practice Wednesday, during the Texans' 19-16 overtime win against the Titans on Sunday.
Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) and linebacker Blake Cashman (hamstring) also were ruled out of Sunday's game. Wide receiver Nico Collins (calf), linebacker Denzel Perryman (Achilles) and defensive tackle Maliek Collins (hip) were limited in practice for the third straight day and listed as questionable for Houston, which is one game behind the Browns (9-5) in a crowded AFC wild-card playoff picture.
The Texans (8-6) currently occupy the No. 8 spot in the AFC. They're also in a three-way tie with the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars atop the AFC South.
Information from ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime and Field Level Media was used in this report.