The San Francisco 49ers' dramatic playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles has been overshadowed by a catastrophic injury to star tight end George Kittle and the resurgence of a bizarre conspiracy theory surrounding the team's fitness woes.
A Costly Victory and a Season-Ending Blow
During the first half of the Niners' 23-19 win against the reigning Super Bowl champions, George Kittle suffered a devastating Achilles tear. The 32-year-old was carted off the field after making just a five-yard catch, his first of the night. Head coach Kyle Shanahan later confirmed the injury, which requires surgery and rules Kittle out for the remainder of the postseason. His availability for the entire 2026 campaign is now in serious doubt.
In a characteristically bold reaction to the heartbreaking setback, Kittle reportedly requested a bottle of Patron tequila be sent to the locker room. According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the bottle was delivered from the owners' suite at Lincoln Financial Field and was emptied within four hours.
The Electromagnetic Field Conspiracy Goes Viral
Incredibly, Kittle's injury occurred just days after a wild online theory about the 49ers' persistent injury problems gained massive traction. Over the past decade, the team has been plagued by fitness issues, culminating in a staggering $95 million in salary cap value lost to injured players in 2025 alone.
Researcher Peter Cowan, who describes himself as a board-certified quantum biology practitioner, claims the root cause is chronic exposure to 'low-frequency electromagnetic fields' from an electrical substation situated right next to Levi's Stadium and the team's practice facility.
In a social media thread viewed almost 10 million times, Cowan asserted that these fields can 'degrade collagen, weaken tendons, and cause soft-tissue damage' at levels deemed safe by regulators. 'The damage is subtle, until a routine cut or block ends in catastrophic rupture,' he added.
A Decade of Data and Player Suspicion
Cowan supports his claims with alarming statistics. He states the 49ers have ranked in the top five of the Adjusted Games Lost metric—which measures a team's injury impact—for 10 of the past 11 seasons. In that time, he notes the team has recorded seven full Achilles or patellar ruptures and over 40 major hamstring or calf tears.
Furthermore, Cowan shared readings from a Gaussmeter, a device for measuring magnetic fields, which allegedly showed elevated exposure levels near the 49ers' practice field and inside their facilities.
The theory has even permeated the locker room. Back in October, NFL reporter Chase Senior revealed that retired 49ers guard Jon Feliciano admitted players have joked about the substation being responsible for their injury misfortune. However, it is crucial to note that there is no scientific proof directly linking electromagnetic field exposure to NFL injury rates.
Kittle now joins a growing list of NFL stars, including Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins, to suffer the dreaded Achilles injury in recent years. As he begins his recovery, the unorthodox conspiracy theory surrounding his team's facilities is sure to continue generating debate far beyond the football field.
