After signing with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent this summer, former Mizzou LB Donavin Newsom’s goal of playing in the NFL suffered a serious setback last week.

On Aug. 9, Newsom was involved in a scary collision with a teammate and had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Doctors determined he suffered a concussion, but had no spinal fractures.

San Francisco GM John Lynch said Newsom is getting better, but he’ll need a lot of time to make sure he’s fully healthy before he takes the field again (via Pro Football Talk):

“He’s doing better each day,” Lynch said. “. . . Talking with our doctors, he got great care up here at Stanford. It’s the best thing for the kid. Give him time to really get right. So, [I] had a good talk with him this morning.”

To give Newsom plenty of time to recover without putting his chance at earning a roster spot in jeopardy, the 49ers placed him on injured reserve.

If Newsom is able to take the field again next summer, he’ll try to get his career back on track. But, for now, the most important thing is his health.