It seems like every other week the San Francisco 49ers are dealing with some kind of injury crisis at a critical moment. While most people are chalking up the injuries to bad luck and too much practice, a strange conspiracy theory is starting to gain traction.
A Washington Post report that emerged this week has highlighted concerns that some players have voiced about an electrical substation near the practice field that may be emitting low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF). The report found that several NFL agents feel this is impacting the team's injury woes and even their ability to sign and retain key players.
"NFL players have started to reach out to their agents about the location of the 49ers practice field. Players have voiced real concerns about EMF and some agents think this might impact the 49ers' ability to attract or retain free agents. One agent told the Washington Post, he thinks the Niners might have to move their practice field. Another agent has wondered why his clients have taken longer to heal, while playing for the 49ers," Chase Senior of Chat Sports wrote on X yesterday.
Evidence?
While some fans have taken the report at face value and are seriously wondering if EMF is having an impact, plenty of users on X were quick to poke holes in the report.
A slew of users said that the practice field the 49ers are using has been around since 1988 and the injury woes only began when head coach Kyle Shanahan took over the team.
"I can’t believe this EMF conspiracy is still getting traction. So they’ve been practicing next to the plant since 1988, but it’s only become an issue in the last 7 or 8 years, which actually coincides perfectly with when Shanahan took over. And he has a notoriously rigorous practice philosophy that’s been talked about countless times. It’s literally meant to break players down to then build back up (hopefully..but hmm maybe it doesn’t?) Oh and they made widespread changes to their athletic training/strength staff around 2019 that are still in place But sure, let’s blame it on some baseless theories about a power plant," sports doctor Brian Sutterer wrote on X.
But even reasoned comments like that are getting plenty of pushback from fans who seem insistent on the idea that there must be something a little more nefarious than simply a rigorous practice schedule.
"You work for the power plant, don't you," one user mocked.
"I remember Hargrave saying the 49ers practices were nothing like Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. He said something to the effect of they were always full speed and intense. But I gotta go with the power plant thing. It’s is way more fun!"
"I prefer to believe that I tore my Achilles this year from EMF exposure rather than accept that I turned 35. And you can't stop me."
It's a pretty strange theory and it would be nice to see and hear some evidence as opposed to hypotheses.
Sometimes the simplest reason is the real one: The 49ers practice a ton and players' bodies are more worn down by gameday. They'd hardly be the first team in NFL history to practice themselves to ruin.