A viral theory linking electromagnetic fields from a power substation to San Francisco 49ers injuries has become a major talking point ahead of Super Bowl 60. Here is what scientists, NFL officials, and the players' union are saying — in their own words.
"We, of course, are monitoring that. We've been in contact with the league. We've been in contact with our players. We're monitoring."
David White, NFLPA interim executive director
East Bay Times, Feb 3, 2026 →"We'll see what that comes back with. I don't think we have a true stance on it. I think everyone around it, as you've seen with the players talking about it, everyone will want more data and more feedback. To make a stance would just be guessing something. No one knows."
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, NFLPA president, Chicago Bears linebacker
East Bay Times, Feb 3, 2026 →"[It is] just worth noting that experts pretty universally, publicly, said that there was nothing to be concerned about. But what has been stated is very important to us and we're following it."
David White, NFLPA interim executive director — also noting the NFLPA considers this a potential workplace safety issue for all facility employees
East Bay Times, Feb 3, 2026 →"It didn't seem to affect Jerry Rice. It seems like Jerry Rice can still play today. I don't believe that's something that is a real issue."
Jed York, 49ers Owner — noting the substation was built in 1987, before the team moved to the facility. Says team will still "look into it."
The SportsRush / Up & Adams, Feb 3, 2026 →"Because it deals with, allegedly, the health and safety of our players, I think you have to look into everything. We've been reaching out to anyone and everyone to see, does a study exist other than a guy sticking an apparatus underneath the fence and coming up with a number that I have no idea what that means?"
John Lynch, 49ers General Manager
Mercury News, Jan 21, 2026 →"Any number of things that our bodies are exposed to has the potential to be detrimental. You grow up hearing 'don't live near power lines.' I can't say for sure about the theory. I would say anything extra that you are exposed to long-term is probably not a good thing… Collagen breakdown can come from inflammatory factors."
Dr. Christina Gavegnano, Emory University Center for the Study of Human Health
Yahoo Sports / The SportsRush, Feb 5, 2026 →"It would be great to have records around when updates were made to that substation. There are a lot of variables. Depending on the time of day and the load on the grid, the magnetic flux coming off of that thing could be magnitudes higher… The important thing to remember about electromagnetic fields is that there is something called the Inverse Square Law… It states that the closer you are to a source of EMFs, the higher the dose you receive."
Dr. Alexis Cowan, PhD (Princeton University / Josh Rabinowitz Lab)
Yahoo Sports / The SportsRush, Feb 5, 2026 →"There is no firmly established evidence" that EMFs can weaken soft tissue to cause more injuries.
Prof. Jerrold Bushberg, UC Davis Department of Radiology
Front Office Sports →[The idea that EMFs from the substation are causing injuries is] "nonsense."
Prof. Frank de Vocht, Bristol Medical School — professor of epidemiology and public health
The Athletic / Washington Post →[It's] "quite unlikely" that EMFs could cause the kinds of tendon and ligament injuries that have plagued the 49ers.
Prof. Hans Kromhout, Utrecht University — professor of exposure assessment and occupational hygiene
Washington Post →"I was always one of those kids with a crazy imagination. I believed in superheroes. I believed in Superman. … In those times, I was in the superhero mindset where I was like, 'Man, if anything is giving off electricity, is giving off power, I'm absorbing it.'"
Patrick Willis, Hall of Fame LB (49ers 2007-2014)
The Athletic, Feb 5, 2026 →"That's been an issue since I've been there. It was said that it was giving people cancer."
Delanie Walker, Former 49ers TE (2006-2012)
The Athletic / Bussin' With the Boys, Feb 5, 2026 →"It's definitely been a talking point for years. It's one of those things that is just so hard to say because the science is not clear behind it. And I'm very much a science-driven person. And I want to see the numbers and statistics."
Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers FB (longest-tenured current player)
The Athletic, Feb 5, 2026 →"As professional athletes, we're looking for every little tiny advantage. That little extra half a percent. And even if maybe [the substation] is just hurting us a quarter of a percent, whatever it is, that's something that we want to know and account for."
Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers FB (Harvard graduate) — explaining why players take the theory seriously
Front Office Sports, Feb 6, 2026 →"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. I'm not a scientist though. But if that's affecting plants, what does that do to humans?"
Mack Hollins, New England Patriots wide receiver — speaking during Super Bowl week media availability
Yahoo Sports / The SportsRush, Feb 3, 2026 →[McCaffrey] believes there "could be a potential correlation" between the San Francisco 49ers' injury woes and the electromagnetic field theory relating to their practice facility.
Christian McCaffrey, 49ers running back
The Mirror, Feb 3, 2026 →"I played for the 49ers last year and I've been joking this year that this is the most games I've missed due to injury in my career. I don't know if that's a coincidence but I was around that substation a lot last year."
Eric Saubert, Seattle Seahawks tight end (former 49er)
SF Chronicle via Yahoo Sports, Feb 4, 2026 →"I think that's something that would deter people away from coming here. … It's something that needs to be looked at."
Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals tight end (AP All-Pro First Team)
SF Chronicle via Yahoo Sports, Feb 4, 2026 →"I've heard about it and quite honestly yeah, I think they should probably get rid of it. Anything they can do to keep the players safe, they should do."
AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks tight end
Daily Mail, Feb 5, 2026 →"Dude, I am not a scientist, and I'm not a doctor. Look, we'll play anywhere. There's too many variables in football to just say that something like that is the reason for injuries. I mean, you can do everything right and bad things can still happen."
Christian McCaffrey, 49ers running back — on Radio Row at Super Bowl week
Fox News, Feb 5, 2026 →"I don't really know what to think of it. You know, I think people are doing their research on it and whatnot, but, you know, for me, I have no idea. I mean, I'm gonna continue to practice there. Obviously, it's my job and I love the Niners. So yeah, I have no other choice."
Brock Purdy, 49ers quarterback
Fox News, Feb 5, 2026 →"I think, of course, since it's been such a hot topic that there'll be more research done on it to see exactly if anything comes of it. But I think it's been there for so long that, of course, we had the injuries we did this last this past season, especially the high-profile players. So, it was just kind of like a hot topic, basically, and we'll see what comes of it."
Fred Warner, 49ers linebacker — noting he's "ignoring it for now" but believes research may be warranted
Fox News, Feb 5, 2026 →"I think it's false. And I'll be the first to tell you, because I train year-round at our facility, right? And I'm not going to sit here and say that a substation was the reason why I got my ankle broke in half. That was a fluke injury."
Fred Warner, 49ers All-Pro linebacker — on a podcast appearance, strongly dismissing the theory
SF Standard, Feb 6, 2026 →"We kind of brought it up and it's kind of like a joke, right? But it's odd, because you look over the fence where the power station is and all the trees are dead."
Eric Saubert, Seattle Seahawks tight end — describing the scene at the 49ers facility
NBC News, Feb 5, 2026 →"I saw it was there, right next to the pool, like you can't miss it. Football is a game that's centered around injuries, right, and trying to be as sustainable as you can. It's a violent sport and they play physical football. But I don't know. There's no reason not to look into it, right?"
Josh Dobbs, New England Patriots quarterback (aerospace engineer, former 49er)
NBC News, Feb 5, 2026 →"This is how urban legends are started. Once someone says something, once it starts leaking to other people, it only adds fuel to the fire."
Christian Elliss, New England Patriots linebacker (former 49er)
NBC News, Feb 5, 2026 →"I've seen that, I thought you all are crazy for that. But you never know though, a lot of science is backed into this stuff."
Montorie Foster, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver
Daily Mail, Feb 5, 2026 →"I don't know what that is. That sounds like an engineering term."
Marte Mapu, New England Patriots safety — had never heard of the theory
The Athletic, Feb 5, 2026 →"That's not our problem, that's the Niners'. If they've got a problem with that, they've got to talk to their ownership or whatever. It's above my pay grade."
Jahlani Tavai, New England Patriots linebacker
The Athletic, Feb 5, 2026 →"In my opinion, it's all a conspiracy. Until someone studies it, that's all it is. Everyone has a theory on why there's been so many (injuries). I just think it's bad luck."
Alberto Colmenero, Santa Clara resident
The Athletic, Feb 5, 2026 →"I don't feel I've been harmed. But there are probably risks that come with that. We just don't know what they are."
Spencer Roberts, Santa Clara resident
The Athletic, Feb 5, 2026 →"And just like that, the 49ers players became human lab rats in what is shaping up as a brand new field of study — the effect of EMFs on tendons and ligaments. Those invisible waves have been studied for decades, but the focus has always been on cancer and other serious health problems, not merely damage to joints."
Scott Ostler, SF Chronicle columnist
SF Chronicle, Jan 31, 2026 →"I am not aware of anything in the sports medicine literature that supports an association with the injury. In fact, we use electrical stimulation to treat a lot of injuries as a rehab modality. With that being said, we're always open minded."
Dr. Alan Sills, NFL Chief Medical Officer — during Super Bowl week tour of Levi's Stadium
ABC7 San Francisco, Feb 6, 2026 →[NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alan Sills] disputed the notion that the Niners have suffered an outsized number of tendon and soft-tissue issues.
Dr. Alan Sills, NFL Chief Medical Officer — as reported by East Bay Times
East Bay Times, Feb 3, 2026 →"I think it's hard to draw that connection from the substation to what we've seen on the injury front."
Dr. Drew Lansdown, UCSF Sports Medicine Surgeon — specializes in knee, shoulder and elbow injuries
ABC7 San Francisco, Feb 4, 2026 →"I think it is important to acknowledge that they have looked into it. To understand if there is something that could be done differently. I think the worst thing would be to ignore it."
Dr. Drew Lansdown, UCSF Sports Medicine Surgeon — on the importance of taking concerns seriously even without evidence
ABC7 San Francisco, Feb 4, 2026 →