49ers GM Dismisses Injury Conspiracy Theories

Lynch says claims about electrical substation incident are unfounded

Mar. 29, 2026 at 9:48pm by Ben Kaplan

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch has dismissed online conspiracy theories about an alleged electrical substation incident that some have claimed contributed to the team's rash of injuries during the 2025 NFL season. Lynch called the claims a "big nothing burger" and said the team investigated the matter thoroughly but found no evidence to support the conspiracy theories.

Why it matters

The 49ers suffered an unusually high number of player injuries in 2025, which contributed to the team's disappointing season. Some fans and observers speculated that an alleged incident at a local electrical substation may have played a role, but the team's investigation found no merit to those claims.

The details

After the 2025 season ended, Lynch vowed to look into any potential factors that may have led to the 49ers' injury issues. This included investigating online conspiracy theories about an alleged incident at a local electrical substation that some believed may have impacted the team's players. However, Lynch said the team's investigation found no evidence to support those claims, calling them a "big nothing burger".

  • The 49ers' 2025 season ended in early 2026.

The players

John Lynch

The general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It basically was a big nothing burger.”

— John Lynch, 49ers General Manager

The takeaway

The 49ers' investigation into alleged factors contributing to their injury issues in 2025 found no credible evidence to support online conspiracy theories, indicating those claims were unfounded.