Albert Breer clarifies comment that Trey Lance was ‘a little annoyed’ by Jimmy Garoppolo’s return to 49ers

Albert Breer has been mentioned around San Francisco 49ers social media circles today after his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column for Sports Illustrated. The respected reporter wrote that Lance wasn't as enthusiastic about Jimmy Garoppolo's return as initially explained by head coach Kyle Shanahan.

"And while I heard Lance was a little annoyed in the immediate aftermath, he's a smart, mature kid who I believe can handle it," Breer wrote, per NBC Sports. "Truth is, if he couldn't, you might have bigger questions about where the Niners are at the position."

That portion of Breer's column has been edited since its initial release, with the part about Lance being "a little annoyed" removed. The Sports Illustrated reporter joined 95.7 The Game to clarify what he meant by the initial wording, which now reads that the news was "a little complicated for Lance to take at first."

Breer saw that his initial wording started to generate some chatter on social media.

"I think it's important to make sure, let people know what I meant when I wrote that," Breer told Larry Krueger and Lorenzo Neal. "I think, from what I understand, Trey Lance's reaction was pretty natural. I think it's complicated news for him to take. One of the reasons I used the words 'immediate aftermath' is because, I think, in the immediate aftermath, you're probably processing a lot of things when the idea comes up.

"I think what was most important about it—and this is my feeling on it—what was most important about it was the Niners were upfront with their guys about it. After discussing it with Jimmy, the idea of it, the concept of it, and making it clear to Jimmy, if we do this, Trey's going to be our starter, and then discussing it with Trey, and then going to the leadership council and informing them of what they're going to do, they felt comfortable moving forward with it."

The 49ers brought back Garoppolo on a heavily-reduced one-year deal after nothing developed in the trade market for the quarterback. He will now serve as Lance's backup, a nice insurance policy for the team should anything go wrong.

Of course, Garoppolo's return has generated a lot more speculation, with some feeling it represents a lack of faith by the 49ers in their 22-year-old starter.

"I know everybody is looking for some level of drama to tear this situation apart and turn it into something that it's not right now," Breer continued, "but I do think the Niners, their ability to communicate clearly with their players on this sort of thing, I think, is what's going to carry them through.

"So do I think it was easy news for Trey Lance to take? No, I don't think it was easy news for Trey Lance to take. I think it's something, if you're him, you ask a lot of questions about. But I think in the end, because the Niners did get in front of it, and were pretty clear in communicating to all the guys what the plan was here, I think they'll wind up being fine in the long run."