A viral theory linking the San Francisco 49ers’ injury struggles to an electrical substation near the team’s practice facility has resurfaced this season, even as the NFL insists there is no evidence to support it.
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The speculation, which gained traction on social media, suggests electromagnetic fields (EMF) from a substation adjacent to the 49ers’ practice fields in Santa Clara could be contributing to soft-tissue and lower-extremity injuries. The theory offers no research or data, but it has continued to circulate amid a season in which several of San Francisco’s star players were sidelined.
Defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams both suffered season-ending ACL tears. Linebacker Fred Warner endured a fractured and dislocated ankle, while tight end George Kittle tore his Achilles tendon during the 49ers’ first playoff game. Though the team does not statistically lead the NFL in overall injuries, the severity and timing of those losses helped fuel online speculation.
The idea has also caught the attention of some players, including Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins, who discussed the theory while speaking with reporters during Super Bowl week.
Hollins stopped short of endorsing the claim but said it would be something he’d want examined if he were in the 49ers’ position. Drawing on examples he said he’s heard about EMF exposure affecting plant growth, Hollins questioned whether similar effects could exist for humans.
“I feel like there’s been a lot of studies on plants where you put an EMF next to a plant and it doesn’t grow as well,” Hollins said. “I’m not a scientist though. But if that’s affecting plants, what does that do to humans?”
Here at the Super Bowl, Mack Hollins is probably the best player to ask about to 49ers electrical substation theory.
He said if he was on the team, he’d want the Niners to look into it and mentioned studies where EMF can impact the growth of plants and wonders what that does to… pic.twitter.com/Vj69mwJNgz
— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) February 3, 2026
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills addressed the theory Friday, making clear the league does not view it as credible. He noted that claims suggesting the 49ers led the league in non-contact or lower-body injuries are inaccurate and said there is nothing in sports medicine literature linking electrical substations or EMF exposure to football injuries.
Sills emphasized that injury causation in football is multifactorial, typically involving variables such as training load, equipment, play type, prior injury history, and exposure. He also cautioned against relying on publicly available injury reports, which often paint an incomplete and misleading picture.
The electrical substation at the center of the theory predates the 49ers’ move to their Santa Clara practice facility in 1988, a detail the NFL has pointed out when addressing the speculation. From the league’s — and science’s — perspective, no data shows a causal relationship or even a meaningful correlation between the substation and injury rates.
