NFLPA heard power plant concerns from players, ‘monitoring’ 49ers’ research

SAN FRANCISCO — Leaders from the NFL Players Association reiterated the union’s purpose to protect the health and safety of its players during its annual Super Bowl week news conference. That extends to the power plant outside Levi’s Stadium behind an unsubstantiated viral theory.

“We, of course, are monitoring that,” interim executive director David White said Tuesday morning. “We’ve been in contact with the league. We’ve been in contact with our players. We’re monitoring.”

The theory that spread on social media attributed the electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) emitted from the Silicon Valley Power substation adjacent to the 49ers’ headquarters in Santa Clara to the team’s injury woes. Experts noted that there is no evidence to support the idea, and the NFL’s chief medical officer, Dr. Alan Sills, disputed the notion that the Niners have suffered an outsized number of tendon and soft-tissue issues.

While the substation expanded its footprint when Levi’s Stadium opened in 2014, the 49ers have practiced there since 1988, two years after the power plant was completed.

However, general manager John Lynch said the 49ers planned to “look into everything” — including any possible effects of EMFs — when it comes to the health of their players, a move supported by the NFLPA. President Jalen Reeves-Maybin, a Chicago Bears linebacker, said there wasn’t enough information for the union to take a stance on the proximity of the substation but was curious to see the findings from the 49ers’ investigation.

“We’ll see what that comes back with,” Reeves-Maybin said. “I don’t think we have a true stance on it. I think everyone around it, as you’ve seen with the players talking about it, everyone will want more data and more feedback. To make a stance would just be guessing something. No one knows.”

White said the NFLPA considers the EMFs to be a potential workplace safety issue, not only for the players but for other team employees who also spend substantial time at the facility. The issue was something a handful of players had raised with the union in the past, but after a post last month from wellness entrepreneur Peter Cowan and an accompanying series of Substack blogs spread to more than 22 million users, he said there was an uptick in concerns from union members.

“(It is) just worth noting that experts pretty universally, publicly, said that there was nothing to be concerned about,” White said. “But what has been stated is very important to us and we’re following it.”

‘No appetite’ for 18th game

As the NFL continues to seek to add another game to the regular-season schedule — and the financial windfall accompanying it — there remains “no appetite” from the players for an 18th game, White said, citing increased risk for injuries.

“It’s punishing, and we can see that on teams that have deep postseason runs,” White said. “We saw it this year. If you looked at even Week 16 was arguably about critical contributors going down. If you look at Wild Card weekend, which would be the 18th game if you took that week, really significant injuries. …

“When your average career is already three to four years, that becomes something that is existential. So the 18th game is not casual for us. It’s a very serious issue. … As it stands right now, players have been very clear: They don’t have any appetite for it.”

As far as financial gains, White said the league and its players are doing just fine. The past season was the second-most watched in NFL history, and the NFLPA’s licensing and marketing arm, Players Inc., was on pace to generate “record-setting” revenue.

White also noted $247 million in guaranteed money that didn’t previously exist for second-round draft picks, exceeding the union’s projections by more than $20 million.

‘Arbitrary’ international experiences

With the NFL expanding its international ambitions, announcing games next season in Australia, Madrid, Paris and Mexico City, potentially two of which could include the 49ers, White noted that the experience playing abroad has not been the same for every player.

“Our members appreciate the global stage. They understand the excitement that the games are generating around the world,” White said. “Here’s the issue: They’ve got a lot of feedback about not having good experiences because it’s inconsistent.”

White described a “seemingly arbitrary” approach by teams regarding the increased travel demands of crossing borders and oceans.

“Some teams will fly out days early; some will fly out the day before,” White said. “Some will stay near the practice site. Some will have lengthy commutes for their players after that travel, as they’re getting over jet lag, and then the games following and whether there is a period of real restoration for their body. …

“It doesn’t matter if they’re playing in Chicago or Sao Paolo, the game requires a certain amount of rest, preparation and restoration in order for players to be safe. All of that needs to be accounted for if we’re going to talk about having more international games.”