Super Bowl 60 between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks is set to kick off on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. ET. Players and coaches for both teams are expected to arrive at Santa Clara a full week before the big game, with several key practices to follow.
Typically, players use the facilities of whichever host team is having the game. Although 2026’s game is being held in the San Francisco 49ers home field, Levi’s Stadium, neither team will be using the 49ers practice facilities.
While teams choose different practice facilities for a variety of different reasons, the 49ers’ facility’s proximity to an electrical substation has fueled conspiracy theories about it causing injuries.
Here’s everything you need to know about the theory and where both teams are practicing.
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Are Patriots, Seahawks using 49ers practice facility?
No, neither the Patriots nor the Seahawks will be practicing at the practice facility, which is located right near Levi’s stadium. Instead, both teams will be using nearby college campus facilities.
Where are the Patriots and Seahawks practicing?
New England will be practicing at Stanford football’s facilities in Palo Alto, Calif. Seattle, meanwhile, will be using San Jose State’s facilities. Both campuses are roughly within 10 or so miles of Levi’s Stadium.
The last time Santa Clara hosted a Super Bowl in 2016, the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers utilized the same college facilities.
MORE: Everything to know about the 49ers injury conspiracy theory
49ere practice field conspiracy theory, explained
The Internet conspiracy centers around the practice facility being located right next to an electrical substation. According to National Grid Group, an electrical substation is a vital power grid feature, which allows electricity to be transmitted at different voltages both reliably and securely.
As for the conspiracy theory itself, it claims that the practice field’s proximity to the 49ers practice facility is causing the 49ers to suffer so many injuries. San Francisco has been badly affected by injuries over the past two years, including George Kittle’s torn Achilles, season-ending injuries to Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, Brock Purdy’s extended absence, Brandon Aiyuk’s torn ACL, and more.
Low-frequency electromagnetic fields can degrade collagen, weaken tendons, and cause soft-tissue damage at levels regulators call “safe.”
We have a real world case study proving this:
An NFL team whose practice facility sits next to a massive electrical substation.
THREAD 🧵… pic.twitter.com/fOVvrVTu5I
— Peter Cowan | Sunlight is Life (@living_energy) January 6, 2026
The conspiracy theory has been widely debunked by experts. Bristol Medical School professor Frank de Vocht told the Washington Post the idea that EMFs are leading to more injuries is “nonsense.” UC Davis radiology professor Jerrold Bushberg told Front Office Sports, “There is no firmly established evidence” that EMFs can weaken soft tissue to cause more injuries.
The San Francisco Chronicle spoke to University of Colorado professor Frank Barnes, who heads research groups about the effects of electric and magnetic fields on the biological system. While Barnes stated that research about how electromagnetic fields might impact humans has slowed up in recent decades, but said the theory is “unlikely.”
But the conspiracy theory about the practice facility has reached both the 49ers players and the front office. Even 49ers GM John Lynch said that his team will “look into” the claims.
“Because it deals with allegedly the health and safety of our players, I think you have to look into everything,” Lynch said, via ESPN. “We’ve been reaching out to anyone and everyone to see, does a study exist other than a guy sticking an apparatus underneath the fence and coming up with a number that I have no idea what that means? That’s what we know exists. We’ve heard that debunked.”
Thanks to both the Patriots and Seahawks practicing elsewhere, these conspiracy theories shouldn’t impact the Super Bowl much.
