FootyChatter.com

NFL 2026 NFL Draft “We’re in a safe place of work, " 49ers GM John Lynch said Sunday from Phoenix. Ezra Shaw / Getty Images PHOENIX — The San Francisco 49ers conducted a test of the infamous electrical substation that sits next to their stadium and practice facility and found, in the words of general manager John Lynch, a “big nothing burger. ” “We’re safe, ” Lynch said from the annual NFL league meeting. “We’re in a safe place of work, the levels I think I read in (the report) are 400 times less than unsafe zones. So it’s a normal place of work, it’s a normal gym. We are safe, we’re healthy and we feel really good about that. ” Advertisement Fears about the substation went viral at the end of the 2025 season when a theory was floated that the 49ers were being exposed to elevated levels of electromagnetic forces from the the Northern Receiving Station, which sits just south of their practice field. To some, the theory was a smoking gun, an explanation for why the 49ers have been one of the most injury-riddled franchises in recent years. In 2025, for example, an unusual number of prominent players, from quarterback Brock Purdy to linebacker Fred Warner to defensive end Nick Bosa, were sidelined for big chunks of the season, and the attrition finally seemed to catch up with the team during the blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs. Former and current players, meanwhile, said they’d always looked at the nearby substation and wondered whether the power lines and electrical coils could be having an adverse effect. “That’s been an issue since I’ve been there, ” former tight end Delanie Walker said on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast in January. He added, “It was said that it was giving people cancer. ” Current 49ers players privately urged the team to look into it further. Lynch said the team did that, hiring what he called an “independent scientist” with more than 45 years studying electromagnetic fields and their effects on human health. The 49ers said that person, whom the team did not initially identify, tested the practice fields, weight room, cafeteria, locker room, meetings rooms — anywhere the players go — and found that the the exposure was less than what you’d get from using a vacuum or hair dryer and was similar to what would be found at a typical work place. “That was important to us, ” Lynch said. “Not just to turn a blind eye but to look into it because it’s our players’ wellness. And not just our players’ wellness, it’s coaches and staff, all that. ” Advertisement Lynch also said that none of the outside free agents the 49ers signed, including veteran receiver Mike Evans, asked about the substation during their recruitment and that it was never used as leverage against the team as some predicted. Evans, for example, signed a three-year deal that’s widely considered friendly to the 49ers. “Nobody asked about it, which is really interesting, ” Lynch said. “I was prepared. ” • Lynch also said the team has been addressing two areas that have routinely gotten low scores in the NFLPA’s annual report card — their training room and training staff. The 49ers got C-minuses in those categories this year amid high scores in other areas. In previous years, players have cited the lack of hot and cold tub space as well as showers and saunas that frequently broke down. Lynch said the team is in the midst of a $9 million upgrade to its “hydro area” — cold tubs, hot tubs and other facilities. The 49ers also are adding three more physical therapists to their staff. “The modern athlete wants more one-on-one attention, ” Lynch said. “So that’s something in the surveys — when we dug deeper it was, ‘not enough personnel. ’ We were well-staffed but not at the top of the league. Now we’ll be up there at the top of the league. ” • As far as roster questions, Lynch again sounded optimistic about striking a deal with left tackle Trent Williams. At last month’s scouting combine, Lynch said the team and Williams were “on the right track, ” though nothing was ratified. On Sunday, he said talks have “intensified” in the last week. “I feel like we’re on the precipice of something good happening, ” he said. “But we’ll see. Don’t want to make any statements like — ‘Hey, we’re right there’ — because I’ve felt like that before. But I do feel like we’re in good communication and (we’re) hopeful. ” Williams, who will turn 38 before the season, is the oldest starter on the squad and is looking for more guaranteed money in his contract. He started all but one game last season and was voted to his 12th Pro Bowl. Perhaps most noteworthy when it comes to working out a deal, the 49ers have no heir apparent at left tackle. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Matt Barrows is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the 49ers. He joined The Athletic in 2018 and has covered the 49ers since 2003. He was a reporter with The Sacramento Bee for 19 years, four of them as a Metro reporter. Before that he spent two years in South Carolina with The Hilton Head Island Packet. Follow Matt on Twitter @Matt Barrows