The 49ers Hired a Scientist to Investigate Electrical Substation. Here’s What They Found

Much has been made of the links between the 49ers’ injury woes and the electrical substation located nearby the team’s training facility in Santa Clara, Calif.

San Francisco sustained a plethora of injuries during the 2025 season, which led to a conspiracy theory that suggested the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) the substation puts off actually weakens muscle tissue, resulting in a larger number of 49ers players suffering serious injuries throughout the season.

Eventually, enough noise had been made about the topic to the point where the Niners hired an independent scientist to investigate whether there was any connection between the EMFs and the injuries. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, general manager John Lynch revealed the findings of the investigation.

“We did hire an independent scientist. He basically said it was a big nothing burger. We’re safe. We’re in a safe place to work,” Lynch said Sunday, via NFL reporter Ari Meirov.

Lynch also said the report found that the EMF levels are “400 times less than unsafe zones.”

The 49ers have practiced at their Santa Clara facility since 1988. The practice field is located directly next to Levi’s Stadium, but is also in the proximity of the Silicon Valley Power Mission Substation. The substation has been located next door since 1986, though it was expanded in 2014, according to The Athletic.

Last season, multiple crucial players dealt with long-term injuries, including linebacker Fred Warner, quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and edge rushers Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, among others. In total, the 49ers had 19 players miss a total of 254 games to injuries, which ranked fourth-most in the league according to Rotowire. The Cardinals led the league with 32 players dealing with injuries and missing a total of 303 games.

After San Francisco’s loss to the Seahawks in the divisional round, Lynch indicated the organization would look into “everything” in order to find a culprit to its heightened injury rates––and that included the nearby substation.

Ultimately, the substation doesn’t appear to be the root of the 49ers’ injury problems, at least not according to the independent scientist hired by the franchise. While that popular theory has effectively been ruled out, the team isn’t stopping there in its efforts to reduce injuries. Lynch indicated that $9 million had been invested into the team in order to improve rehab and recovery facilities.

The team also hired three physical therapists during the offseason as a means of giving their players more 1-on-1 attention after San Francisco’s training room received a C- grade from players on the annual NFLPA report cards.

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