George Kittle Weighs In on 49ers’ Injury Woes and That Mysterious Substation
As Super Bowl LX looms large over Levi’s Stadium, the buzz around the Bay Area isn’t just about X’s and O’s-or even the two teams vying for the Lombardi Trophy. Surprisingly, one of the biggest talking points among players this week has been a topic that sounds more like a sci-fi subplot than a football storyline: a nearby electrical substation and its possible link to the San Francisco 49ers’ long-running injury issues.
Yes, you read that right.
The 49ers’ practice facility in Santa Clara sits next to a large electrical substation, and some players are wondering whether it’s more than just a backdrop to their daily grind. George Kittle, who recently suffered a torn Achilles during the NFC playoffs, addressed the topic head-on during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show from Radio Row. And while he didn’t make any bold claims, the All-Pro tight end made it clear-he’s not dismissing the theory out of hand.
“[Kyle Juszczyk] actually had a great point,” Kittle said. “As a pro athlete, you’re always chasing that extra 1 percent-whether it’s red light therapy, ice baths, stem cells, whatever. So if there’s something that might be costing you 1 percent, wouldn’t you want to know about it?”
It’s a fair question. In a league where the margin between greatness and the IR list can be razor-thin, even the smallest factor matters. Kittle’s point wasn’t that the substation is definitively causing injuries-but if there’s even a chance it’s contributing, it’s worth investigating.
The facility in question has been part of the 49ers’ setup since the late 1980s, but the substation itself expanded significantly around 2014, when Levi’s Stadium opened. According to Kittle, that expansion changed the game-literally and figuratively.
“When they built the stadium, they quadrupled the size of the substation,” he said. “Back in the day, it was this small thing.
Now it’s massive-like, multiple football fields big. So it’s a different kind of energy coming off that thing since the expansion.”
The theory goes like this: low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from the substation might be affecting player health. It’s a stretch, sure, but in the world of elite sports, where the human body is pushed to its limits daily, nothing is off the table.
Of course, not everyone on the roster fits the narrative. Linebacker Fred Warner, one of the team’s most consistent and durable players, has trained at the facility year-round for years. He did suffer a broken ankle in 2025 that ended his season, but it was his first major injury in an otherwise remarkably healthy eight-year career.
That anomaly isn’t lost on Kittle.
“Fred Warner practices there, trains there year-round,” he noted. “So did he just absorb the electromagnetic stuff?
He’s only been hurt once. Maybe it’s the guys who leave and come back who are more affected?
I don’t know. Hopefully they’ll get to the bottom of it.”
For what it’s worth, the NFL is at least listening. Chief Medical Officer Dr.
Allen Sills acknowledged the theory in a recent interview, saying the league is keeping an open mind. But he also pointed out that there’s currently no scientific evidence linking EMFs to injury rates in athletes.
“We’re aware of those reports,” Sills said. “We consult with experts across sports medicine and other industries to understand injury causation. But I’m not familiar with anything in the literature that supports those associations.”
Still, in a league where fortunes rise and fall on the health of a roster, it’s not hard to see why players are curious. The 49ers have been one of the most injury-riddled teams in recent years, and when you’re constantly searching for answers, even the most unconventional theories can start to sound plausible.
At the end of the day, Kittle’s message is simple: if there’s something out there-even something as seemingly outlandish as a substation-that could be affecting performance or recovery, it’s worth looking into. Because in the NFL, 1 percent isn’t just a number. It’s the difference between playing in February and watching from the sidelines.