Conspiracy theories linking the San Francisco 49ers' run of injuries to an electrical power substation next to their practice facility have flared up again after wide receiver Mike Evans suffered a new injury setback.
The 32-year-old is dealing with a quad strain, according to the team, and sat out of practice on Monday with no return date yet known. The injury came just days after the 49ers' official account on X shared a video of Evans making a catch at Friday's practice, with the substation visible in the background.
Fans quickly seized on the footage once Evans' injury was revealed, reigniting a debate that has followed the franchise since the start of the year. One fan wrote on X: 'That substation demon coming for more players. It's just getting started.' Another wrote: 'All their nervous systems being fried by that substation,' while a third posted 'Electrical station got him,' along with several 'heartbroken' emojis.
What the 49ers have said
In March, the 49ers released the findings of an investigation into the substation bordering their practice facility in Santa Clara, saying independent scientists did not believe the conspiracy theories. General manager John Lynch told reporters at the NFL league meetings in Phoenix that the findings amounted to 'a big nothing burger.'
'We're safe. We're in a safe place of work,' Lynch said. 'The levels are 400 times less than an unsafe zone. So it's a normal place of work, it's a normal gym. We are safe, we're healthy, and we feel really good about that.'
How the theory started
The speculation began in January when researcher Peter Cowan posted on X suggesting the substation had contributed to San Francisco's injury crisis. Cowan, a board-certified quantum biology practitioner, argued the team's fitness problems could stem from chronic exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic fields from the substation, which sits next to both the stadium and the practice facility.
After Cowan's theory went viral, tight end George Kittle suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in the playoffs, drawing further attention to the claims. Kittle himself appeared to lend it some credence.
Speaking on Complex News in February, Kittle recalled that during his rookie season there were trees between the substation and the practice facility, behind a fence, and that the trees stayed bare of leaves year-round. He said a veteran teammate first pointed it out to him, and that he mentioned it to head coach Kyle Shanahan in 2021. He added that the NFL later had the trees cut down, so only longtime players know they were ever there.
A former player's account
Former 49ers tight end Delanie Walker, who was drafted by the team in 2006 and played for San Francisco until 2012, said concerns about the substation dated back to his playing days. Speaking on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast, Walker said there had been talk of moving the substation because it was said to be giving people cancer, and that part of it was eventually pushed back and reduced.
Plans for a new facility
Last month it was revealed the 49ers are considering relocating their practice facility, though not because of the substation theories. Team CEO Al Guido told The Athletic's Vic Tafur that the club remains concerned about persistent injury issues after ranking near the top of the league in that category for several years.
The 49ers' proposed solution is to build a larger practice facility, since the current site is squeezed in alongside Levi's Stadium. Guido said the team hopes to upgrade its weight room, hydrotherapy and rehabilitation areas.
'Everything is geared to winning the Super Bowl,' Guido said. 'We have been to three in the last 30 years and not won any. That's the appetite with everyone here, and this is the right time to do it. In talking to our fans, I think they feel that, too.'
The team is also hiring three new members to its physical therapy staff.
