Why Former Coaches are So Eager to Criticize Trey Lance

Never has an NFL quarterback faced more criticism after just three career starts than Trey Lance. It's the strangest thing.

Typically, people reserve judgment about young quarterbacks for a least a year or two. But for Lance, who's 22, so many analysts are so eager to label him a bust already, and some of those analysts are former NFL coaches.

Super Bowl champion Mike Martz recently said this about Lance: "I've never liked him. I still don't like him. I'd like to know what he does so well, because he's not a great passer, doesn't have good skills, takes a long time to set himself and throw the football, misses easy throws and he's not a particularly good runner. Other than that, he's a hell of a player."

What a mean thing to say from someone who probably hasn't watched more than five minutes of Lance's highlights.

Then there's Super Bowl champion Sean Payton, who recently said this: "I think—and I believe this, don't kid yourself—I think at some point, we're going to see (Jimmy) Garoppolo back in that lineup."

All because Lance lost one game in the pouring rain. Ridiculous.

It's possible these coaches simply don't like Lance. It's also possible they have subconscious, ulterior motives when they criticize him, because when they criticize Lance, they really are criticizing Kyle Shanahan without saying it. They essentially are saying Shanahan made a huge mistake trading up for Lance. He whiffed. Made an error in judgment. Couldn't coach up the kid.

Coaches can be extremely petty. Both Martz and Payton were once considered geniuses and the smartest offensive coaches in the world, and each won a Super Bowl. Now, most people consider Kyle Shanahan the top offensive mind in football. But he hasn't won a Super Bowl yet.

Perhaps they resent him, and they're taking their resentment out on Lance.

Just a theory.