On Wednesday morning, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance received gut-wrenching news. Head coach Kyle Shanahan informed him that Sam Darnold had won the team's QB2 job, a big disappointment for the third-year quarterback.
"I'm really, really proud of that entire quarterback room, both Trey and Sam, because they knew what was in front of them, and they knew the competition was going to be intense and real, and I think they both embraced that," general manager John Lynch told KNBR's Markus Boucher and Paul McCaffrey on Thursday morning.
The news has to be disappointing to fans, too. The 49ers sent three first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Miami Dolphins to move up in the 2021 NFL Draft to acquire Lance, who was supposed to become the face of the franchise. The quarterback has started only four games since. While it hasn't been a good look for the organization, the team has still managed to reach the NFC Championship Game in each of the past two seasons.
Lynch didn't expect this week's quarterback decision to leak. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero broke the news first, adding that the 49ers were looking into their options with Lance, including potential trades.
"Things don't stay quiet for long in today's world, and next thing you know, everything that transpired yesterday transpired," Lynch said. "But I can tell you that Trey handled it incredibly well, with class. He was devastated, and rightly so. When you put your heart and soul into something, and it doesn't come to fruition, you're going to be devastated, and that's the type of competitor he is.
"But we're in a good place. He'll be back in the building today, and we're moving forward."
Lynch spoke to Lance one-on-one, after Shanahan talked to the quarterback, informing him of the decision. Lance did not participate in the team's Wednesday practice, the last before the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers.
"They had a really good talk," Lynch shared. "It wasn't negative at all. ... It was a gut punch for Trey. He had really gone for this thing and felt like he was playing well, which he was. And so I think it was a mutual decision just to go home and take some time.
"... Trey, with getting that news, we decided it was best for him just to stay home for the day. He'll be back here today, and everybody's in a good place. And Trey's a pro, and so, like he's done every day that he's ever been here, he's going to do his best to be at his best at all times and to make his teammates better, and we're confident with that, and Trey's in a good place there."
What are the options moving forward? Will Lance be on the 49ers' roster come Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
"I think that's the most likely option," Lynch responded. "As I said, we're very happy with Trey. That's probably the most likely option, is that he's here. If we could find a landing spot for Trey, that is a really good one for him and works for our organization, that's not something we turn a blind eye to.
"But that's not where our focus is right now. I think our focus is on Trey getting back here and us being the best football team. We're getting close to Pittsburgh, and that's kind of where we're at."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.
