Does it have a long-term effect?’ Joe Rogan says 49ers injury pattern doesn’t add up as team opens probe

Joe Rogan didn’t hedge his words this week when a long-running conspiracy theory around the San Francisco 49ers resurfaced on his podcast. The claim centers on an electrical substation located next to the team’s training facility and Levi’s Stadium, with some suggesting it may be contributing to the franchise’s unusually high injury rate.The conversation gained new weight after 49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed the organization plans to investigate the theory. While experts continue to dispute any medical link, the team has acknowledged the volume of injuries is a concern worth examining.

Joe Rogan calls the injury trend ‘not normal’ while pointing to data dating back more than a decade

Rogan addressed the topic on his podcast while speaking with guest Paul Rooslie, reacting to claims that electromagnetic fields near the facility could be affecting player health.

He referenced discussions among players that reportedly began more than a decade ago.“The players started talking about all this in 2012, I believe,” Rogan said. “And people were like, ‘All that’s nonsense.’ Now, the stats are in, and you’re looking at the amount of injuries that come from this area, it’s like, this is not normal.”

Rogan went further, arguing that the number and severity of injuries tied to the 49ers stand out compared to the rest of the league.

“So, there’s a disproportionate amount of catastrophic injuries that come out of San Francisco and their training facility is right outside this power station,” he said.“Way more Achilles tendon blowouts, way more knees blown out, way more catastrophic ligament and tendon ruptures.”He emphasized that his focus was not on proving a conclusion, but on questioning whether the pattern warrants scrutiny.“Electricity,” Rogan said. “By the EMF signal. EMF signals we know disrupt human beings, but to what extent?”

John Lynch confirms 49ers will look into the theory while stressing player safety comes first

San Francisco has not endorsed the theory, but Lynch confirmed this week that the organization is taking it seriously enough to explore.

Speaking to reporters, the general manager said the team cannot ignore claims tied to player health, even if they remain unproven.“Because it deals with, allegedly, the health and safety of our players, I think you have to look into everything,” Lynch said.“We’ve been reaching out to anyone and everyone to see, does a study exist other than a guy sticking an apparatus underneath the fence and coming up with a number that I have no idea what that means?”Lynch also acknowledged skepticism surrounding the theory while making clear the team will not dismiss it outright.“We’ve heard that debunked,” he said. “The health and safety of our players is of the utmost priority. We aren’t going to turn a blind eye.”The renewed attention comes after an injury-heavy 2025 season for San Francisco. Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, George Kittle, and Brock Purdy were among the notable players who missed time. The 49ers reached the playoffs, defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round, then suffered a 41-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round.