Last Sunday, George Kittle, the star tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, suffered a torn Achilles tendon, which has ended his season and added yet another injury to the team’s growing list. This occurrence couldn’t have come at a worse time for the 49ers, who are still looking to secure their win over the Eagles, and now they head to Seattle for an upcoming divisional matchup.
This situation has ignited various conspiracy theories online, particularly concerning the 49ers’ practice facility, which is adjacent to Levi’s Stadium and situated near a substation in Santa Clara, California.
For months, complaints about this substation have circulated on social media, but the conversation really took off in early January. Peter Cowan, who claims expertise in circadian health and biophysics, suggested that the team’s injury woes are linked to this location, and his post went viral on X.
Cowan stated, “Low-frequency electromagnetic fields can degrade collagen, weaken tendons, and cause soft tissue damage at levels that regulators deem ‘safe,’” in a detailed post.
Earlier in December, he visited the local Mission substation and claimed to have measured significant “milligauss” levels, a unit for magnetic field strength. In his Substack, Cowan theorized that this substation presents a “chronic” environmental concern specifically affecting the 49ers, although his argument lacks robust support from injury statistics.
There’s certainly a long list of key players, like Christian McCaffrey and Nick Bosa, who have suffered serious injuries in recent years, which has struck a chord with fans. Cowan’s original post has now amassed over 22 million views, yet the underlying causes of these injuries remain complex.
Indeed, the 49ers have had a high rate of injuries lately. As heading into 2025, they recorded an average of 101.5 “adjusted losses” each season over the past decade, which is the highest in the NFL, according to injury analyst Aaron Schatz.
The teams with the next highest rates of injuries, the Giants and Commanders, don’t have substations near their training facilities, suggesting that the connection isn’t so simple. Schatz remarked that while the 49ers led the league, it wasn’t a huge outlier.
The 49ers have been practicing at the Santa Clara site since the late 1980s, well before their 2014 move to Levi’s Stadium, and concerns about the facility’s role in injuries are relatively new. Through 2013, they were among the healthier teams in the league and achieved three Super Bowl victories in that time frame.
The scientific community seems divided on this topic with varying viewpoints. For instance, Christopher Collins from NYU isn’t convinced that the electrical substation could be the cause of these injuries. He mentioned that MRI is the best way to explain how certain electromagnetic fields might relate to injuries but doesn’t support the idea that proximity to power lines could be a factor.
On the other hand, Frank de Vogt from Bristol Medical School dismissed the hypothesis as “nonsense.” Meanwhile, David O. Carpenter from the University at Albany suggested that while he doesn’t believe EMF is solely responsible for injuries, he thinks the possibility shouldn’t be entirely dismissed.
Joel M. Moskowitz, a public health researcher at UC Berkeley, hinted at the potential for a combined effect from low-frequency EMFs and noted that this is not a topic to be ignored.
After the recent game, 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne made a lighthearted comment about “that power plant,” but it’s clear that some players are visibly concerned. Former guard Jon Feliciano reflected that the issue was often discussed during his time with the team, expressing belief that top athletes are indeed worried.
Others have mentioned that the substation could pose challenges for the 49ers in recruiting new talent, with some agents suggesting that moving the practice facility might become necessary.
With Santa Clara gearing up for the Super Bowl next month, conversations about the substation are likely to intensify. If the 49ers manage to secure two wins on the road beginning Saturday, they could find themselves in contention for the Lombardi Trophy, albeit just a stone’s throw from that very substation. But sadly, Kittle won’t be there. The reasons behind these injuries? Well, that’s anyone’s guess.
