Why San Francisco 49ers Fans Still Root for Chargers QB Trey Lance

How could you not root for Trey Lance?

Aug 10, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance (5) prepares to take the snap against the New Orleans Saints in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

49ers fans will have a dilemma this Saturday when the Chargers come to town for the preseason finale.

Obviously, 49ers fans will root for 49ers quarterbacks, but Brock Purdy and Mac Jones won't play. Instead, the 49ers will trot out Carter Bradley and Nate Sudfeld -- two backups who almost certainly won't make the 53-man roster.

On the other sideline, the starting quarterback will be former 49ers quarterback Trey Lance. And when he does well, you can bet the fans at Levi's Stadium will cheer for him.

That doesn't mean the fans will root against the 49ers. It's a preseason game -- the final score doesn't matter. As a result, most 49ers fans would like to see Lance have a good game and show that he's an NFL quarterback. Because he got a raw deal at a young age.

Oct 3, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan talks to quarterback Trey Lance (5) during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

In retrospect, the 49ers never should have traded three first-round picks and a third to move up in the draft and take Lance. He was an inexperienced project who needed patience and playing time, and the 49ers gave him neither. From Day 1, Kyle Shanahan expected Lance to pass like Drew Brees and run like Lamar Jackson. As a result, Lance got injured three times and started just four games before the 49ers replaced him.

The expectations the 49ers placed on Lance were too much, and Shanahan didn't know how to bring him along. Shanahan knows how to bring along other quarterbacks -- hello, Brock Purdy -- but not Lance. And so Lance suffered when he didn't have to. He suffered because he went to a team that didn't want him, didn't accept him, didn't believe in him. He would have been better off had he been drafted by any other team.

Lance always was the odd man out in the locker room. The organization drafted him to replace Jimmy Garoppolo, who was popular among the veterans. Lance tried his best to get along -- he and Garoppolo remain friendly. But when Lance would get sacked, his teammates wouldn't help him up.

Sep 11, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) is tackled after a run by Chicago Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith (58) in the fourth quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

And when Lance broke his ankle and Garoppolo replaced him, after the game, fullback Kyle Juszczyk was in high spirits, and said it felt like 49ers football again when Garoppolo made his return. That was bad.

So, as long as Lance plays in the game on Saturday, fans will root for him. They also will root for the 49ers defense, but we all hope he shows well.

Our hearts go out to him.