Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; General view of the San Francisco 49ers practice fields at the SAP Performance Facility.
The San Francisco 49ers are, statistically speaking, the most injured in the NFL since moving to Santa Clara and Levi’s Stadium in 2014.
While some may put that down to bad luck, others, like superstar tight end George Kittle, have a different view of things.
Kittle believes that the team’s injury woes are linked to the electromagnetic substation located next to the 49ers’ practice facility. Specifically, Kittle believes that the low-frequency electromagnetic fields emitted from the substation are harmful to players’ bodies.
This might sound like a conspiracy theory. However, researcher Peter Anthony Cowan has written multiple dissertations about the phenomenon. And Kittle’s belief only strengthened after he tore his achilles against the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs last season.
“My argument for it is this,” Kittle said. “Like, Fred Warner, he practices there and trains there year-round, and he’s had one injury his entire career. So it’s like — now, did he just evolve and he absorbed the radiation? I don’t know. I’m kidding, I’m kidding. But it’s just like, let’s just figure out if it’s actually harming the players or not, and hopefully it’s not. It’s easy.”
Well, now he may have even more reason to believe in the theory.
Several 49ers Players Got Injured In First Practice Of 2026 Training Camp
According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports San Francisco, four different 49ers players suffered injuries on the opening day of training camp for the 2026 season.
Maiocco reports that veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk suffered a calf strain. Offensive tackle Vederian Lowe suffered a high ankle sprain. Defensive tackle Gracen Halton had a bone bruise of his knee, and defensive lineman Andrew Farmer was dealt a back injury.
These 49ers will not practice after sustaining injuries on Day 1:
OT Vederian Lowe (high ankle). He will miss extended time.
WR Christian Kirk (calf strain)
DT Gracen Halton (knee bone bruise)
DL Andrew Farmer (back)— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) July 27, 2026
Players getting injured in practice is nothing new. And the first day of training camp presents a ramp-up in intensity that can often be tough on their bodies.
But four injuries on the first day alone is certainly eye-opening.
Did the electromagnetic substation play a role? Nobody can say for certain. But as Kittle stated, it can’t be ruled out, and that alone is a concern for players and the 49ers organization as a whole.