QB Trey Lance Press Conference

QB Trey Lance

Press Conference – September 1, 2022

San Francisco 49ers

How was it to have QB Jimmy Garoppolo out there rotating drills with you?

“Awesome. It’s good to have him back. Good to have him back in the building, in the QB room again. Like I’ve said, he’s been a big brother to me since my first day in the league, since I got drafted the day I got drafted. I know he’s got my back. I’ve got his back. I’m excited to go through this year with him. He’s going to add a lot to our quarterback room. I mean, that’s the goal for us is just have the best quarterback room in the league and we’re pretty close if we’re not there. I’m super excited just to have him in the room, another guy who’s done it. I got to watch him do it last year, got to learn a ton from him and I’m going to continue to learn as much as I can from him, take all the advice that he’s got for me this year.”

Did this come as a shock to you when general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan shared it with you a few days ago or did you kind of see this might evolve the last few weeks?

“Not necessarily a shock. I kind of knew. He’s always been on the roster and I see him around every day. We talk almost every day. So, definitely not a shock, but I was excited for Nate that he got another opportunity. I didn’t know what would happen between [Detroit Lions QB] Nate [Sudfeld] and [QB] Brock [Purdy] and how many quarterbacks and guys, everything with cut day. So this week’s been a little bit of ups and downs, lost some guys that I was pretty close with, but it’s just how it goes. But no, it definitely wasn’t, I don’t think a shock, but, like I said, it’s great to have him back.”

Did you have any trepidation at all when they first mentioned it to you?

“No, not at all. I was super excited. Like I said, he’s done it. And for him, I’m going to use him as a huge resource for me throughout this whole entire year. He’s always been willing to help me out, so I’m super excited for it.”

Kyle said he made it a point to talk to you before they re-signed Jimmy. What was his message to you in those conversations?

“Just that nothing changes. It makes the QB room that much better, another great resource for me, a guy that’s played in this offense, a guy that’s done it, who’s played a lot of ball. So for me, I’m going to use it. My mindset on it is Jimmy’s going to be a huge resource for me as he always has been since draft day.”

The conversations that you had with Jimmy before he was coming back for sure, you said that you talk about life. Does it shift now to more football talk?

“Yeah. We’re around each other a lot more. So, we’re around each other in meetings, around each other in the building, more lifts, workouts, everything like that. So definitely we get to talk more ball, which has been awesome. Him watching practice with us, being in meetings with us, just him being back around, it feels great.”

What was your first interaction with him like after you found this out?

“We talked the night that the news broke just on the phone. We texted and then I saw him in the morning that next morning we had practice. So came in, we had talked at his locker for a little bit. I mean, it was all love. Nothing’s changed between us. I can say it a million times, but he’s been my big bro. Nothing’s going to change there.”

He was the one and you were the two last year and everything’s a competition in the NFL. What changes now that you’re the one he’s the two? Is it just the same kind of competition or does the relationship have to change a little bit?

“No, I don’t think the relationship changes, the dynamic. It’s different roles. Like I said, he’s still going to be a huge resource for me. I’m going to be able to ask him questions, bounce ideas off him, watch tape, plays in practice, asking him after each play what did he see? The same thing I could do with Nate and same thing I could do with Brock and same thing I could do with all of our QB coaches.”

You do have a guy who started a lot of games on this team, won a lot of big games. People are going to be looking to him if there’s a couple of bad series. Does that put some more pressure on you?

“No. I’m worried about what the guys in the locker room think, what I think, what the coaches think, what the guys in this organization think. Outside of that, I know there’s Jimmy, there’s Trey, there’s all that, but this is going to be a collaborative group and I know Jimmy’s going to have my back through it all.”

Was it normal having him there at practice?

“Yeah, it was super normal actually. You guys probably wouldn’t even believe it. It was fun to have him around. He’s a high energy guy, in the huddle, outside of the huddle, in the locker room, whatever it is. He’s a great dude to have around and I’m super glad he’s back.”

Did you have meetings before practice? Was that the first time he was back with the team, in a meeting, that kind of thing?

“Yeah, I think the day after he signed, I don’t even know what day it is. I think Tuesday was his first day back in the building. So, we met Tuesday, got to talk. Him and [quarterback coach Brian] Griese and [assistant quarterbacks coach] Klay [Kubiak] got to talk. It’s going to keep growing. I’m super excited for it.”

You really hear Jimmy on the practice field. He’s got that megaphone. Is that something as a quarterback that you work on and something that you’ve talked to him about? How loud he projects?

“Yeah, absolutely. For him, I think it definitely comes probably a little bit more naturally. I have to try to talk with a deep voice a little bit better so I don’t sound 22. That’s one of the many things that I know he’s going to bring. He’s a resource for me to bounce ideas off of, to get advice from and continue to learn as much as I can.”

Talk about role reversals. One of it is leadership. Is it strange? He was a leader of this team for a long time and now it’s you and he’s giving it to you and he’s right here. Is that a little strange?

“I’m sure from the outside looking in, but I guess from our team, nothing’s changed. Nate obviously left, got a new opportunity in Detroit and Jimmy’s in his spot. So for me, my mindset, nothing changes. I don’t think for our team, our organization really anything changes, but it’s obviously just another upgrade to the QB room.”

What kind of summer do you think you’ve had? What areas do you think you’ve been good at and what areas do you think maybe need more improvement?

“I’ve had a great offseason and training camp. I think things have gone well. I’ve gotten to know the guys better and the new guys, [WR] Ray-Ray [McCloud III], kind of thrown with [TE] George [Kittle] and [WR] Deebo [Samuel] and some of those guys I didn’t get to work with this off season as much. Ups and downs for sure, every day going against our defense and the stuff we do. We have be ready to go. So I think my mental toughness, my mentality has changed in a good way. There’s ups and downs to every day, every rep. So I’m learning as much as I possibly can. There’s countless areas that I know I’m going to continue to improve on and countless areas that I have improved on as well.”

Did Kyle say, “Hey, Trey, we might do this with Jimmy, if you don’t want to do it, let me know?” Was that any part of this discussion?

“No. It’s not my decision. It’s an organization decision. But when they told me, I knew Jimmy’s been on the roster, on the team, this whole entire time. So obviously I knew it was a possibility to bring him back. There’s been no bad blood at all between me and Jimmy since day one. So, I was all arms open, excited to have him back”

It’s early in the process, but what’s the dynamic of the quarterback group with Brock in there? Between all three of you?

“Brock’s done a great job and he’s been awesome. I was super excited for him. Everyone congratulated him that he made the roster. I was super excited for him and he deserved it. He earned it this whole preseason, the whole training camp, even going back to OTAs, the way he handles himself. He’s actually older than me, so that bugs me a little bit. But it’s been great having him in the room. The way he’s picked up the offense so fast, his footwork, everything is still improving and he’s doing a great job. Great guy to be around.”