Discussion surrounding the San Francisco 49ers’ recent injury history—and whether a nearby electrical substation could be a contributing factor—doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.
The 49ers endured another injury-plagued season in 2025, losing key stars such as Fred Warner and Nick Bosa to season-ending injuries. Rookie first-round pick Mykel Williams also saw his season cut short, while several others—including starting quarterback Brock Purdy—missed time during the year.
According to Kyle Juszczyk, the topic of the electrical substation near the team’s facility has circulated inside the locker room for years. The 49ers fullback recently spoke with Margaret Fleming of Front Office Sports and said he remains open-minded about whether it could be a contributing factor.
“It’s definitely been a talking point for years,” Juszczyk told Fleming. “It’s one of those things that it’s just so hard to say because the science is not clear behind it. I’m very much a science-driven person, and I want to see the numbers and the statistics. Is it a coincidence that we’ve led the NFL in injuries for the last, like, decade? I don’t know. It very well could be, because a lot of injuries simply come down to bad luck, bad timing, you’re in a bad position.”
Juszczyk added that while he isn’t drawing conclusions, the curiosity remains.
“But there’s a lot that goes into it, and if that may be some of it, I don’t know,” he continued. “I am very curious. I really am. I want to see what someone who truly understands that field, what they have to say about it, and I’d just be curious to know.”
49ers’ Kyle Juszczyk says the electrical substation next to the team’s facilities has been “a talking point for years.”
He adds that he is “very curious” to see what research reveals during the offseason. pic.twitter.com/mxHk17i3iR
— Front Office Sports News (@FOS_News_) January 29, 2026
Last week, 49ers general manager John Lynch said the organization has already looked into the situation and will continue to evaluate it.
“The health and safety of our players is of the utmost priority,” Lynch said. “We pour into it. Our ownership, Jed [York], tremendous in terms of resources, and we’ll always be cognizant of things. I know that a lot of games have been won at this facility since it opened. But yeah, we aren’t going to turn a blind eye. We’ll look into everything.”
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, defensive end Bryce Huff joked that he may take matters into his own hands.
“I might just pull up with a meter one day,” Huff said. “Like, at this point, I’m gonna find out. If it is impacting my body, I want to know. I wouldn’t want to just sit around and hope for the best.”
Huff also acknowledged ongoing locker-room discussions regarding possible exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF).
“If there is something, I hope it’s not enough to damage our bodies, especially with our profession,” he said.
Cornerback Chase Lucas echoed the sentiment, encouraging the organization to treat the concerns seriously.
“If it’s a true thing, then the owners of the team should take action towards it,” Lucas told the San Francisco Chronicle.
“There’s no reason to deny the fact that someone on the team thinks the substation probably is doing something to you,” center Jake Brendel recently said. “And, I mean, there is a reason why people don’t usually live by those. It might just be because they’re unsightly, and they make noise. Or it might be other reasons.”
Not everyone in the locker room is convinced, however. Warner pushed back on the idea that the substation puts 49ers players at greater risk than players elsewhere.
“There’s a lot of mixed reviews about that,” Warner said. “I think, at the end of the day, when you look at the actual data behind if that’s real or not, I think it’s false. And I’ll be the first to tell you, because I train year-round at our facility. I’m not going to sit here and say that a substation was the reason why I got my ankle broken in half. That was a freak—that was a fluke injury, right?”
Warner also noted that before his most recent injury, he had largely avoided serious injuries throughout his NFL career, all spent with the 49ers. He previously missed one game before suffering a dislocated and fractured right ankle in October 2025.
Warner even joked, “The substation may have given me superpowers. I don’t know. I guess if you just overdose on it, you get Hulk strength or something.”
While some 49ers players are curious and others skeptical, the organization has made it clear it won’t ignore the conversation. For now, don’t expect the speculation to disappear overnight.