The 49ers are again opening a season with a long injury list, and that has kept the 49ers substation theory in circulation around San Francisco’s practice facility. The team placed 11 players on injured reserve and two more on the PUP list to start the year.
A theory that has not been proven
Peter Cowan, a wellness tech journalist, suggested in January that low-frequency electromagnetic fields from the Silicon Valley Power Mission Substation could lead to soft-tissue injuries for football players. That idea has continued to draw attention, even though it has been described as unproven and experts have shut it down as a talking point.
Cowan’s claim was direct: he said low-frequency electromagnetic fields coming from the substation lead to soft-tissue injuries for football players. He also acknowledged the limits of the argument, saying there is no proven scientific theory supporting the idea that proximity to electric substations makes people more susceptible to injury.
Why the discussion keeps coming back
The reason the 49ers substation conversation does not go away is simple: the team has practiced near the substation for over a decade, long before the current injury issues began. Levi's Stadium and the electric substation have basically been on the same block for years, so every new wave of injuries tends to revive the same debate.
That does not make the theory stronger. It does explain why it remains part of the background whenever the 49ers’ health situation becomes a talking point.
The roster impact is immediate
What matters most right now is the roster status. Opening the season with 11 players on injured reserve and two on the PUP list is a major early setback, regardless of the cause. It affects depth, practice planning and the team’s ability to build continuity right away.
Jon Feliciano also captured the way some players have handled the subject, referencing how players have joked around about there being an electrical substation right next to the facility. That may explain the way the theory lives on, but it does not change the fact that the 49ers are once again dealing with too many unavailable players.
For San Francisco, the next question is not whether the substation theory will keep getting mentioned. It is whether the team can get healthy enough to move past it and focus on football.
