San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch and RB Christian McCaffrey
Getty
San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch and RB Christian McCaffrey
The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the more snake-bitten teams in the NFL over the last few seasons when it comes to injuries.
The team had 15 players end their season either on injured reserve or the reserve/non-football injury list in 2025, which hampered San Francisco’s run in the postseason.
The offense was ravaged with quarterback Kurtis Rourke, running back Patrick Taylor Jr., wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Taylor, and Jacob Cowing, tight end George Kittle, and offensive lineman Ben Bartch were all taken out by injuries.
The defense was also hit hard with defensive tackle Tarron Jackson, defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, linebackers Fred Warner, Nick Martin, and Tatum Bethune, and cornerbacks Tre Tomlinson and Jakob Robinson all affected as well.
And as it turns out, general manager John Lynch looked into why the 49ers had such terrible injury luck.
Lynch Debunks Wild Substation Conspiracy Theory
San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch
GettySan Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch
While there’s seemingly no rhyme or reason for why the 49ers have been so injury ravaged, one explanation spread like wild fire: the electrical substation located near the team’s practice field.
The theory became a hotly debated topic last season — so much so that Lynch and the 49ers conducted an investigation to see whether the theory had any merit.
“It basically was a big nothing burger,” Lynch said on Sunday. “We’re in a safe place of work. … 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.
“That was important to us, not just to turn a blind eye, but to look into it because it’s our players’ wellness. It’s not only our players’ wellness, it’s coaches, it’s staff, all that. And it’s encouraging.”
While the substation may not be the cause of all the team’s injury woes, there’s no denying something has to be done to address the sheer number of players who keep getting hurt.
In 2025 alone, safety Malik Mustapha missed 5 games, quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall both missed 8 games, edge-rushers Clelin Ferrell and Yetur Gross-Matos both missed 9 games, defensive end Robert Beal Jr. missed 10 games, wide receiver Jordan Watkins 13 games
49ers Reveal Results of Substation Testing
San Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner
GettySan Francisco 49ers LB Fred Warner
The scientist who looked into the substation theory was given access to the 49ers facility and took electromagnetic readings with medical grade equipment to determine if there could be any possible adverse effects on the players through EMFs.
According to the team, Levi’s Stadium and the subsequent practice field was reading “400 times below the of what would be considered an unsafe working environment.” The findings showed the EMF readings were of numbers found at a “typical workplace.”
“I felt like it would be that way, but it’s encouraging that it came out in a good place,” Lynch said of the results.
Lynch also revealed that none of the free agents that the team spoke with even brought up the substation theory or injuries, which is why the team conducted the investigation to be armed with proof there was no substance to the proposition.
The number of injuries the 49ers suffered last season took out approximately $95 million in player contracts, according to Over the Cap — more than $20 million higher than the next-closest team.