Overview
- Independent commentator Peter Cowan’s post tying low‑frequency EMF from the Mission Substation to tendon and soft‑tissue injuries drew tens of millions of views after George Kittle’s Achilles tear.
- Medical physicists and EMF researchers from UCSF, UC Davis, Bristol and NYU describe the hypothesis as unsupported, noting Cowan’s perimeter readings of roughly 8.5–9 milligauss above background are small and not shown to damage tissue.
- Injury analytics confirm San Francisco has been among the NFL’s most‑injured teams in recent years, though the franchise has also had healthier seasons and has practiced next to the substation since the late 1980s.
- Players and agents have discussed the theory privately, with some agents reporting client concerns about the practice site and warning of potential recruiting effects, though no decisions about relocation have been announced.
- A minority of researchers say the question merits formal, on‑site measurements, and neither the 49ers organization nor Silicon Valley Power has released definitive findings.