Scary scene as rookie departs in ambulance
The 49ers ended Tuesday’s practice early after undrafted rookie linebacker Donavin Newsom was taken from the field in an ambulance about 12 minutes after colliding with safety Chanceller James.
More than two hours after practice, the 49ers announced Newsom did not have any cervical-spine fracture, but he did suffer a concussion. He remained at Stanford Hospital overnight for observation.
That qualified as good news after a scary scene halted practice. Newsom was motionless on the field before he was strapped to a back brace in full uniform, except for his face mask, which was removed.
Minutes after practice, head coach Kyle Shanahan said the belief was Newsom suffered a neck injury, but his eyes were open and he had “feeling in his lower half and his hands” before leaving. Newsom missed practice Friday and Saturday with a neck injury before he returned to practice Monday following an off day.
“I think it will be all right,” Shanahan said, “but you never know.”
The 49ers contacted Newsom’s family and team representatives went to Stanford Hospital.
Newsom was injured when he collided with James as they were defending a pass over the middle to tight end Blake Bell during a two-minute drill.
As Newsom lay motionless, his teammates took a knee around him, with some bowing their heads in prayer, as medical staff attended to him. The music that blares during practice was quickly turned off and the scene was marked by an eerie silence. After the ambulance left, several teammates, including wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, remained on a knee in prayer.
“It put things in perspective when you see that happen,” Shanahan said. “It’s scary when you see a guy down on the field that long. … There was a lot of stuff I was planning to say about practice. And when that happens, it puts things in perspective for everyone. You just try to end it.”
James, an undrafted rookie, appeared to sense immediately that Newsom was seriously injured after their collision, and was clearly distraught as he ran toward a sideline.
“Me and a bunch of other guys ran after him because we saw he was taking” it hard, safety Eric Reid said. “You respect that. … You feel terrible about it. We just told him to keep his head up. Make sure he checks on Donavin. Pray for him, but don’t blame himself because stuff happens when you play this game.”
Newsom, a St. Louis native who is fighting for a roster spot, had 165 tackles and 5½ sacks at Missouri. As a senior, he had a team-high 73 tackles. Roster move: The 49ers signed cornerback Asa Jackson, a 2012 fifth-round pick who has 37 tackles, zero interceptions and eight starts in his career.
Jackson, 27, a Sacramento native who attended Cal Poly, played in four games last season with the Lions after spending his first four seasons with the Ravens.
The 49ers waived undrafted rookie cornerback Zach Franklin, who injured an ankle during training camp. Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.