Trey Lance: Week 17 efforts show why Kyle Shanahan was right all along

After frustration with Kyle Shanahan’s handling of rookie Trey Lance, Lance’s Week 17 performance against the Texans proves Shanahan was right all along.

San Francisco 49ers fans have been less than thrilled with head coach Kyle Shanahan this season.

OK, that’s an understatement, many Niners fans have been furious with Shanahan throughout the season. No issue infuriated fans more than Shanahan’s handling of the team’s starting quarterback and the development of rookie quarterback Trey Lance.

In fairness, Shanahan certainly didn’t do himself any favors. Whether it was remaining demure on which of the quarterbacks in the draft inspired San Francisco to mortgage the future to trade up to No. 3 or refusing to name a starting quarterback until Week 1 of the season, he has done little to avoid controversy with his handling of the quarterback battle between Lance and the veteran, Jimmy Garoppolo.

Shanahan spoke about how Garoppolo gave the team the best chance to win, and that Lance is still developing, and the months of Lance backing up Garoppolo and running the scout team in practice has been very beneficial to his development. Fans had their doubts, myself included, and began calling for Lance to start after the Niners’ slow start to the year.

Then, Garoppolo began playing the best stretch of football of his NFL career and brought San Francisco back to playoff contention, quieting down the controversy and proving Shanahan at least partially correct in his statement: Garoppolo was certainly helping them win.

Let’s look at why.