‘Did the Electrical Substation Write This?’ — 49ers Fans Poke Holes in Kyle Shanahan’s Assistant’s Training Camp Update
· Yahoo Sports
The San Francisco 49ers continue working through training camp, but the mood around the organization remains far from ideal. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is still recovering after his July 14 car crash in Palo Alto, and the Niners are also dealing with an ongoing contract dispute involving Brandon Aiyuk.
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Amid this uncertainty, assistant head coach Chris Foerster recently tried to paint a more encouraging picture of where the squad stands. However, his comments quickly drew admonishment because many fans believe they don’t line up with reality.
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Foerster offered an upbeat assessment of the roster’s condition this week, despite evidence to the contrary.
“It seems like we’re very healthy,” he said while discussing the team’s overall health. But NFL insider Ari Meirov shared a much different update from practice. “The 49ers had at least 20 players sidelined with injuries at today’s practice,” he noted.
That figure represents more than 20% of San Francisco’s roster, an alarming total this early in training camp. Because of that, many fans poked holes in Foerster’s comments with sarcasm.
“Is it Opposite Day?” one fan wrote, while another echoed the same idea by posting, “Opposites Day out in Santa Clara.”
Another tied this situation to one of the most infamous theories surrounding Levi’s Stadium.
“Did the electrical substation write this tweet,” the fan wrote.
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The theory, first outlined by Peter Cowan in a Substack, argues that an electrical substation next to Levi’s Stadium produces low-frequency electromagnetic fields that weaken tendons and ligaments, contributing to the 49ers’ laundry list of non-contact injuries.
Interestingly, 49ers general manager John Lynch also addressed the theory at one point. Since the discussion centered on player well-being, he believed the organization had a responsibility to examine every possible explanation.
“Because it deals with, allegedly, the health and safety of our players, I think you have to look into everything,” he noted.
As a result, the 49ers brought in an independent scientist to evaluate the situation around Levi’s Stadium. Lynch described the findings as “a big nothingburger,” making it clear the concern had no scientific basis. He also revealed that the electromagnetic levels near the facility measure “400 times less than an unsafe zone.”
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills also supported Lynch’s claim. He noted that there is no accepted sports medicine research connecting nonionizing radiation with tendon or ligament damage.
With both the franchise and medical experts dismissing the theory, the 49ers have turned their full attention back to training camp. Even though injuries remain a major talking point, not every fan believes the situation is as alarming as it appears.
One supporter pointed to the atmosphere inside the building and suggested the coaching staff’s confidence could actually signal that the setbacks are relatively manageable.
“If that’s the feeling in the building, it lets you know that everything is minor,” the fan wrote. “None of these injuries are serious, and most of ’em are precautionary, to AVOID serious injuries.”
For some members of the Faithful, that outlook offered a little optimism despite the crowded injury report. Still, not everyone is ready to stay patient. After watching San Francisco battle injuries year after year, some fans believe the organization needs to make meaningful changes.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.