Trey Lance has become one of the more scrutinized and criticized quarterbacks following Week 1 of the preseason. But one former NFL executive not only ripped the 2021 third overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers, but set off the theory that Lance was never equipped to play quarterback.
Who Criticized Trey Lance and Said He Lacked ‘QB Instinct’?
Michael Lombardi offered a strong take on Lance — not only for his performance in the 34-7 preseason loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in the 49ers’ first preseason game but for believing that Lance was never destined to be a QB on his podcast The GM Shuffle.
“As you go down this road with Lance, it just becomes harder and harder and harder,” Lombardi began. “And you can show all the clips of him moving and all that stuff. But at the end of the day, when his momma lifted him from the crib, he just didn’t have that quarterback instinct.”
Lombardi isn’t just a former scout, director of player personnel, and a past general manager, he even won Super Bowl 19 with the 49ers during their glory years of the 1980s.
Lombardi, though, wasn’t through with his ripping of Lance — and dropped this strong prediction on Lance’s future.
“He’s not going to be the backup quarterback,” Lombardi said. “I don’t know what they’re going to do with him. But there’s no chance based on the evidence that I’ve seen and based on what I’ve heard.”
The reality of Trey Lance: if a play doesn't goes the way he practiced, it breaks down. When his mom lifted him up from the crib, he didn't have that QB instinct. He won't win the backup QB spot based on what I've seen and heard.
Check out #GMShuffle at https://t.co/b4sYN4CC91 pic.twitter.com/SsDEIyqzJq
— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) August 15, 2023
Fans Not Concerned About Lombardi, One Reminding Him of His Own Draft Blunder
Lombardi’s rhetoric points to his belief that Lance was a draft-day mistake. However, one fan sent the reminder that Lombardi had one notable blunder during his truncated time as a GM.
“Michael Lombardi is the GM who drafted Johnny Manziel for the Browns, I’m not too worried about his QB opinions,” one fan reacted when learning the quote.
Michael Lombardi is the GM who drafted Johnny Manziel for the Browns, I’m not too worried about his QB opinions
— Red Scott 🏈 (@red_scott_fb) August 16, 2023
Lombardi was in his second season as Cleveland’s GM when the team made the bold decision to draft the polarizing Texas A&M Heisman Trophy winner. The talented but troubled Manziel fell to No. 22 overall to the Browns. Eventually, Manziel’s flameout from the NFL was one of the subjects in his newly released Netflix documentary that premiered on Aug. 8.
The 2014 season was Lombardi’s last as GM and team vice president. He later became a member of the New England Patriots staff and won Super Bowl 49 and 51 with the team.
Kyle Shanahan Reacts to Lance’s Struggles
Meanwhile, what was the reaction from the head coach who helped bring Lance into the league two years ago?
“It just goes with the territory,” Kyle Shanahan said to Bay Area reporters Wednesday. “I mean, it goes with it for quarterbacks, it goes with it for anybody who’s a high draft pick — especially a quarterback.”
Shanahan continued with: “I think that’s one of the tough things for that position, but also for high draft picks.”
But does he see the criticism rattling Lance?
“I mean, Trey is extremely smart, very socially aware…he knows how the world works,” Shanahan said. “So he does his best — which I think he does a damn good job of trying to block all that out and try to focus on getting better. And I think that’s what he’s done so far.”
Shanahan says the negativity surrounding Lance "goes with the territory" of being a top draft pick pic.twitter.com/4d0Uue7Ehu
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) August 16, 2023