David Johnson diagnosed with MCL sprain, won't require surgery

David Johnson appears to have avoided a significant knee injury in Sunday's regular-season finale.

The Arizona Cardinals running back has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL and will not require surgery, head coach Bruce Arians announced Monday.

There was initially some significant concern about Johnson's status heading into the offseason, as the star playmaker was carted to the locker room after having his leg caught underneath him on a tackle.

While an MCL sprain could still require some substantial rehab in the coming weeks, Johnson will presumably be at full strength in more than enough time to participate in offseason activities over the spring.

The 2015 third-round pick further solidfied himself among the NFL's elite running backs in his first season as a full-time starter, recording 1,239 rushing yards, 839 receiving yards, and 20 total touchdowns.