Injuries and Electrical Substations: George Kittle Weighs In

The ongoing speculation regarding injuries at the San Francisco 49ers’ practice facility—specifically the theory that proximity to an electrical substation could be a factor—was reignited by tight end George Kittle’s recent comments.

Kittle, who experienced a torn Achilles tendon during the 49ers’ Wild Card game against the Seattle Seahawks, was asked about this theory in a recent interview. Although he doesn’t subscribe to that belief, he did mention that something he noticed back during his rookie year in 2017 might warrant further scrutiny.

During the chat, Kittle reported how a veteran teammate pointed out that the trees separating their facility from the substation were not thriving as they should, raising some eyebrows. Interestingly, Kittle noted that the NFL cut down those trees this year.

“Now that tree is gone, so nobody can see it anymore,” he remarked. “Only us veterans know it was ever there. It’s a bit puzzling, honestly.” While expressing his skepticism about the injury-substation connection, Kittle still seeks clarity on the matter. He shared that teammate Kyle Juszczyk and others echo this desire for more answers.

“In professional sports, every little edge counts. If there’s even a slight chance that something is affecting our performance, we want to dig deeper,” he explained.

To provide context, Kittle referenced Fred Warner, who suffered a broken ankle last season despite training at the facility all year. Warner’s ankle injury was notable, as it was his only significant injury throughout his career.

While speaking with teammates such as Warner and Brock Purdy during Super Bowl week, Kittle heard mixed feelings about the facility. Christian McCaffrey, while somewhat skeptical of the theory, emphasized the unpredictability of injuries in football. “There are so many variables; it’s hard to pinpoint a single cause,” he said. “Bad things can happen even when everything seems to go well.”

This theory, gaining traction, suggests that the 49ers’ high incidence of soft tissue and non-contact injuries might be linked to electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by the electrical substations nearby. Some argue that constant exposure may weaken tendons and soft tissues, potentially leading to serious injuries like ruptured ACLs and Achilles tendons.

According to reports, the 49ers are planning to explore all potential causes for the team’s injury woes this offseason—not just the substation angle—in an effort to understand the lengthy injury list from the previous season.