Trey Lance Remains Positive Despite Losing his Role as the Starter

Being relegated to a backup is not easy to stomach, yet Trey Lance is trying to remain positive.

Relegation is something that happens when a player or a team plays poorly.

Unless you're 49ers quarterback Trey Lance who lost his job as the starter due to an injury and the emergence of Brock Purdy. It had nothing to do with his performance because he is still a variable, a mystery as to what he is as a player. 

A complete and utter unfortunate series of events for Lance in the last 10 months. This is a reality he must stomach from being the starting quarterback of the 49ers, to being the backup of a player who was originally his backup. Something like that, along with the injury he sustained, could easily take it's mental toll. The confidence of Lance might even be gone at this point, yet Lance is remaining positive despite losing his role as the starter.

"I just take it one day at a time. I'm very present-mind focused. Every rep, one rep at a time, one day at a time, one meeting at a time, whatever it is," said Lance. "I mean, I truly believe everything works out exactly how it's supposed to. So as long as I control what I can control that's all I can worry about.” 

Lance is currently taking snaps with second stringer and is splitting them with Sam Darnold. Meanwhile, Purdy is taking all of the starting reps, which only cements that the 49ers is Purdy's team now. It's tough to envision a scenario where Lance ever see's the field again as a starter. 

And now that he is taking significantly less reps than he did last training camp, it puts immense pressure on him to maximize those limited opportunities. No one would blame Lance if he ever falters with that pressure, but again, he is remaining positive. The way he goes about it is through some exercises to keep his mind and body in good spirits. 

"A lot of breathing, a lot of meditation, a lot of just present mind focus and journaling, things like that," shared Lance. "Just to keep myself, you know, keeping it one day at a time. And if I do that, it's not too hard to stay positive. I'm pretty blessed to be in this position to have this opportunity.” 

I'm sure there's been points where Lance has delved into the rabbit hole of negativity. The situation he is in a total fall from grace from last year, especially because it wasn't anything he did poorly. He's just trying the best he can to avoid that, while turning this situation into a positive. That is why all he can do is enjoy the moment and "take it one play at a time" as he says. 

"It’s been a lot of fun. I’m just trying to take advantage of all the reps I get, working with all the guys and it’s just been a ton of fun just to be able to be back out there and to have our full room back, man, it’s been a ton of fun.” 

Who knows? Maybe Lance shines as training camp continues and shows out in the preseason. For now, one day at a time to steal the similar process as Lance.