INDIANAPOLIS — Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian left Thursday night’s game against the Indianapolis Colts because of a left shoulder injury.

The team ruled out his return.

It is believed he suffered a sprain to the AC joint following an initial exam, a source told ESPN. An MRI will take place Friday in Denver to verify and gauge severity.

Siemian, who had surgery on the shoulder after the 2016 season and was held out of some of the team’s offseason work, was sacked by Barkevious Mingo late in the first quarter and landed on his left arm and shoulder. Siemian immediately got up holding his left arm against his body and was examined by the Broncos’ medical staff before being taken to the locker room.

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  The Colts announced that tight end Brandon Williams was taken to a hospital because of a head injury after he was injured in the second quarter of Thursday night’s game against Denver. The Colts said Williams was moving his extremities.

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  Broncos-Colts is the last TNF game of the season, but it’s going to be back in 2018 and beyond. Here’s why.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Robert Woods believes his previously sprained left shoulder has passed every test, even though the shoulder has yet to go through the rigors of a traditional practice. The Los Angeles Rams’ standout wide receiver will take part in full-speed practices Thursday and Friday, but he is already certain that he will play in the upcoming road game against the Seattle Seahawks.

“I’m ready for Sunday,” Woods said shortly after the Rams’ walk-through on Wednesday. “I’ve been waiting on this.”

Woods has missed the last three games with his shoulder injury, suffered after absorbing a tackle from safety Harrison Smith late in the Nov. 19 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Woods, 25, initially feared surgery, but MRI results revealed a need for only a short rehabilitation process.

“Very grateful that I didn’t need surgery, that I didn’t hit anything,” Woods said. “I was looking at Aaron Rodgers’ injury. He broke his [collarbone]. Fortunately, mine wasn’t broken; just a little injury there.”

Woods, who came over on a five-year, $34 million contract, has compiled 47 catches for 703 yards and 4 touchdowns. He led Rams receivers in basically every category when he was hurt, but the Rams have averaged 31 points in the games that he has missed, with Josh Reynolds picking up Woods’ snaps at receiver.

Still, Rams coach Sean McVay called Woods’ return “a big boost.”

“He’s been such a great player for us, great person, all the things that you’re looking for,” McVay said. “Certainly, we have a lot of confidence in our receiving group, but getting Robert back gives us a boost. We’re a better team when Robert is on the field.”

The Rams recently lost cornerback Kayvon Webster for the rest of this season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, but outside linebacker Connor Barwin will join Woods in returning this week. So will left tackle Andrew Whitworth, right tackle Rob Havenstein and cornerback Trumaine Johnson, all of whom exited Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles early with injuries.

NEW YORK — A visit by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to New York’s Rikers Island jail facility has drawn criticism from the union representing city correction officers.

Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem last season to raise awareness to issues affecting minorities in the United States, leading to similar actions by other NFL players and repeated criticism from President Donald Trump.

The head of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association said in a statement that Kaepernick’s presence at Rikers on Tuesday will encourage inmates to attack jail guards. The statement also noted that Kaepernick once wore socks depicting police as cartoon pigs.

The union was critical of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Cynthia Brann for extending an invitation to Kaepernick.

Department of Correction spokesman Peter Thorne said in a statement that the purpose of Kaepernick’s visit was to “share a message of hope and inspiration.”

At the prison, Kaepernick held two 45-minute sessions with small groups of inmates at the jail’s George Motchan Detention Center. He spoke about social justice issues and talked about his decision to kneel during the national anthem.

“No cameras. No promotion. He’s just helping turn around lives many people have given up on,” a spokesperson for the mayor said. “He’s the real deal.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

The NFL warned its teams Monday that it will begin levying “significant discipline” to anyone engaging in offensive conduct or contact against game officials, responding to a series of incidents that had grown increasingly worrisome to the NFL Referees Association.

The message was delivered Monday via a memo written by NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent. In the letter, Vincent wrote: “We want to keep our players on the field. No one wants a penalty or an ejection to determine the outcome of the game. In recent weeks, however, there have been several suspensions and ejections because of contact with, and conduct toward, our game officials. This is not who we are — as players, as clubs, as the NFL.”

In a statement, NFLRA executive vice president Scott Green said: “We appreciate the league expressing its concerns to all clubs about abusive actions, both verbal and physical, toward officials. We would expect that any future actions will be met with appropriate and severe punishment.”

NFL officials have ejected three players for making contact with them this season. One, Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, was suspended for it. In Week 12, side judge Laird Hayes suffered bruised ribs while trying to break up a fight between the Denver Broncos and Raiders. And in Week 13, Cleveland Browns right tackle Shon Coleman was fined $30,387 for knocking over umpire Jeff Rice while chasing a loose ball.