The NFL’s annual meetings are taking place to begin the week. San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch discussed a few popular talking points. Let’s start with the conspiracy theory centered around the 49ers’ injuries.
Lynch said the 49ers hired a scientist to conduct an independent study to determine whether the substation contributed to any of their injuries. Unsurprisingly, Lynch shut down the idea of any correlation to injuries:
“It basically was a big nothing burger. We’re in a safe place
of work. 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. That was important to us, not just to turn a blind eye, but to look into it because it’s our players’ wellness. It’s not only our players’ wellness, it’s coaches, it’s staff, all that. And it’s encouraging.”
According to the team, the scientist has over 45 years of experience studying electromagnetic fields and their effects. The scientist used “lab-grade equipment” to measure the electromagnetic output, which showed that the facility was 400 times below the threshold for an unsafe working environment.
The results matched Lynch’s hunch: “I felt like it would be that way, but it’s encouraging that it came out in a good place.”
Lynch addressed the NFLPA’s report card, where the 49ers received their lowest grades for their training room and training staff:
“Obviously, the players in that report, a lot of it goes with the facilities. … I think the modern-day athlete wants more one-on-one attention. And so that’s something throughout the surveys when we dug deeper, I think it was not enough personnel. Now we were well staffed, but we weren’t at the top of the league. Now we’ll be up there. That’s of the utmost importance, the health and safety of our players, the performance of our players. We’re putting everything into that.”
The 49ers aren’t turning a blind eye to the criticism they’re receiving. The team will spend $9 million to improve its rehab and recovery facilities, with an emphasis on water-based options such as cold plunges, pools, and underwater treadmills, per Lynch.
