Throughout his NFL career, Eric Saubert had rarely faced the challenge of injuries.

However, as the Seattle Seahawks tight end contended with calf and hamstring problems in 2025 during their charge to the Super Bowl, he chalked it up to a mix of bad luck and the inevitable effects of being over 30.

That was until the internet sparked new doubts in his mind.

Currently capturing widespread attention during Super Bowl week in San Francisco is a viral theory suggesting that prolonged exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic fields may weaken tissues and tendons, potentially leading to injury-filled seasons.

Whether this theory holds water is up to scientific scrutiny, but it’s significant enough that the 49ers have commenced an investigation.

What remains indisputable is the team’s ongoing struggle with accumulating injuries, and Saubert can’t help but wonder if it played a role in sidelining him during their journey to the sport’s pinnacle event.

Eric Saubert says he has had more injuries than before after playing for San Francisco 49ers

It comes amid a viral conspiracy that an electrical substation next to the Super Bowl stadium leaves players more vulnerable to injuries

‘There’s a lot of mystery behind that,’ Saubert, 31, told Daily Mail. ‘I played for the 49ers last year and I’ve been joking this year that this is the most games I’ve missed due to injury in my career.

‘I don’t know if that’s a coincidence but I was around that substation a lot last year.

‘We joke around but I don’t know if there is actual merit to the science. Hopefully we can make it out in one piece on Sunday.’

Saubert, meanwhile, missed practice last week with his hamstring problem but is off the injury report and ready to go for the Super Bowl at the place he used to call home. But his fellow tight end, AJ Barner, was more defiant about playing next to the substation.

‘I’ve heard about it and quite honestly yeah, I think they should probably get rid of it,’ he said.

‘Anything they can do to keep the players safe, they should do.’

The Seahawks play in San Francisco once a season as part of the NFC West but not every Seattle hero is as worried as Barner.

‘I don’t have no idea about any of that,’ Seahawks defensive end Demarcus Lawrence said. ‘How long has the stadium been by [the substation]? 2014? And how many times did they go to the NFC divisional championship? Four? It didn’t hurt them then.’

‘We joke around but I don’t know if there is actual merit to the science. Hopefully we can make it out in one piece on Sunday,’ Saubert (pictured) said.

Fellow tight end AJ Barner said that the 49ers should get rid of the substation by the stadium

But in a game where marginal gains can decide championships, many players who think the theory is crazy still aren’t prepared to rule it out completely.

‘I’ve seen that, I thought you all are crazy for that,’ Seahawks wide receiver Montorie Foster said when the alleged link was put to him. ‘But you never know though, a lot of science is backed into this stuff.’

The New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins, notoriously studious with his health, scrutinized those who didn’t think there was a link.

‘I feel like there’s been a lot of studies on plants where you put an EMF next to a plant and it doesn’t grow as well,’ Hollins said on the opening night of Super Bowl week.

‘I’m not a scientist though. There has to be some correlation, but I don’t know if you can say ACLs are tearing though because of that.

‘If they have significantly higher injuries than other places though, it has to be something, whether it is that or something else. There must be a cause for it.’ 

As the 49ers look into any links, owner Jed York was defiant on Tuesday that his players are safe and that there is no link to injuries.

‘We’ll look into it but we’ve been there since 1987 and this is the first time someone has bought it up,’ York said to Kay Adams. ‘I think we can debunk it. If I knew (what was causing so many injuries) I would wave my magic wand and fix it.’

But even after the Super Bowl leaves town, this isn’t something that is going away anytime soon for the 49ers.