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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch did his best to shut down buzz surrounding the theory that an electrical substation near Levi’s Stadium could be the catalyst for the spate of injuries the team has suffered over the past few years.
The theory surfaced on social media during the 2025 season, even though the 49ers have played at Levi’s Stadium since 2014 and used the practice facility, which is also near the substation, since 1989.
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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 24, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
49ers star George Kittle said in February that he didn’t believe the rumors were true, but he also wanted a definitive answer.
Lynch provided a Sunday when NFL owners began meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. He said the organization had a scientist come to the facility to see if anything was wrong.
“It was basically a big nothing burger,” Lynch told reporters via ESPN. “We’re in a safe workplace… It’s a normal workplace. It’s a normal gym. We’re safe, we’re healthy, and we feel really good about it.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) is carted off the field after suffering an injury in the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field on Jan. 11, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
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“It was important to us, not just to turn a blind eye, but to look at it because it’s the well-being of our players. It’s not just the well-being of our players, it’s the coaches, it’s the staff, all of that. And it’s encouraging.”
According to the 49ers, the scientist learned that players and staff were exposed to an electromagnetic environment similar to that of a gym or regular workplace.
Still, the injury bug is something the 49ers will have to figure out as the seasons go on.
General Manager and President of Football Operations John Lynch watches players practice during the school’s NFL football pro day, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Athens, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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San Francisco was 12-5 in 2025, but players like Kittle, Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall and Mykell Williams each missed multiple games with injuries.
For now, it appears that the substation theory has been shut down.
