San Francisco 49ers’ starting quarterback Trey Lance’s season ended due to a broken ankle. It is less than five quarters into his first year as starting quarterback.
Trey was the first quarter of the 49ers in Sunday’s battle against the Seattle Hawks, but he broke his right ankle at 2:20. Backup Jimmy Garoppolo replaced Lance, entered the game, and led San Francisco to a 27-7 victory over Seattle.
Head Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the injury and announced that Lance would require season-ending surgery. Coach Shanahan said, “It’s always tough, especially when it’s a big one. It’s unfortunate for Lance, but we’re hurting for him, and we were hoping to see him this year”.
“I’m happy about the game win, but it’s a little somber once you get in the locker room,” Shanahan said after winning the game. He also said that Lance would undergo surgery Monday morning.
Lance has done 2 of 3 passes for 30 yards and added 13 rushing yards before his injury. The ankle injury occurred when Lance was tackled to the ground during an option run up the middle.
The backup quarterback Garoppolo went 13 for 21 for 154 yards passing and did a touchdown to come through his team in relief.
Mike McGlinchey said, “You can tell when injuries like that occur, and they bring the stabilizing things out and the cart out. “It’s a haunting moment for anybody on the football ground, and it can happen to anybody. Unfortunately, it happened to him on that play, and we’re praying for him and hope he gets better,” McGlinchey said.
Previously Lance has led the Niners in rushing attempts by 13 and yards 54 in a Week 1 loss to the Bears, and he spoke on Wednesday about the differences between college and the NFL. Need to protect himself when running, noting that he was no longer “bigger, faster and stronger than everyone else,” he said.
In 2021, Lance started only two games, and he suffered a left knee sprain and dealt with a broken finger in a preseason game. It brought questions for Shanahan after Sunday’s game about Lance’s usage in the run game as Shanahan has to keep him healthy.
