Officer Hank Schrader spoke to his brother-in-law Walter White before passing away. With the Neo-Nazi holding a gun to Hank’s head, Walter was looking at the scene in disbelief and pleading for Hank to live. Hank gave Walter a smirk. The neo-Nazi shot him when he said, “Don’t you know I’m already dead?”
I was reminded of that scene, morbidly, when I heard about the deal from yesterday. I assumed there was a quarterback competition going on to support Brock Purdy, and Kyle’s remarks from last Tuesday seemed to support that theory. Perhaps one more preseason game and a few more workouts, and Trey’s 49er career would still be ember-like to smolder.
It turns out that Kyle had been thinking about this breakup in the background for a long, having put out the fire some weeks prior. It escaped me as an external fan that Trey’s 49er career is already over. I don’t like told-you-so attitudes, although I guess they exist in certain people. The speed at which everything happens over the past few days—months and years worth—has shocked me.
Life hits you hard and quickly. John Lynch is crying during the press conference the next day while Aiyuk is sharing Lance’s previous back up on Instagram. One day, Lynch is remembering racing up the hills outside his beach house in San Diego with Lance and Aiyuk.
I got really passionate and vocal about Trey when he was drafted. Trey Lance has always had my unwavering confidence, and I still believe he will perform admirably when given the opportunity. As a fan, part of the grieving process is coming to terms with the things you were hoping to witness but were never able to, and I regret that we were never able to witness Lance play with the entire starting lineup, which included Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk
I wish we had known that Trey’s deep shot to Deebo against the Texans during his rookie season was during the good times so I could have savored it more. It has since vanished. I will always be saddened by the fact that when we last saw Trey, he was throwing passes to guys who might not make the team. What might have been.
The Niners front staff has no time to brood and grieve over the past; even the lessons they might take away from this Trey Lance experience won’t help them sign Nick Bosa, solve their nickel dilemma, or locate a kicker.
Because the thought of facing just Clelin Ferrell, Lenoir/Oliver, and whoever the hell is kicking field goals has Lane Johnson, Cooper Kupp, and Pete Carroll licking their lips. It’s evidently one of those things about which you have your feelings and then go on indefinitely.
As of right now, just before the opening game of the regular season, 49ers supporters may rest easy knowing that their concerns regarding Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch are just that—worries. Though it lingers in the background, everything having to go as planned is the only way to block out the obtrusive memory of how badly the front office botched this trade up.
But don’t misunderstand: Sam Darnold’s development and Brock Purdy’s elbow are the two biggest risks to Kyle’s entire reputation.
Nevertheless, Kyle has a better chance than most. This starting lineup gives me a lot of confidence as of right now. Since Christian McCaffrey is unquestionably a difference maker, the offense should always be able to produce big plays when it counts. The talent is astounding. Brock has the undeniable ability to do the task. It has to be seen if it will be reliable enough and at the right times, which will determine whether or not we win the Super Bowl.
In the event that they triumph in Number Six, Kyle and John will live forever. To win even after making the worst deal in NFL history would be a noteworthy sporting accomplishment that will go down in history with LeBron’s Cavaliers championship run. It’s going to hit harder than the three Giants rings combined. It will grab hold of the “leash” attached to their jobs and lasso it like a cowboy.
If it doesn’t and they don’t get a ring thanks to Brock’s deal, the Buffalo Bills will be on the verge of losing four straight Super Bowls. It will make 28-3 appear more like a prophecy than a reckoning for Kyle’s professional future. For the Niners to go more than four years with this roster and this caliber of talent without winning a super star.
That whole resistance is really Shanahan. Additionally, he’s approaching it in a very Heisenbergian manner—to borrow another Breaking Bad allusion. To his credit, everything is grounded in truth; the man may be insane, but he is undoubtedly a scientist. He has access to a legitimate data-driven case, and in the end, what counts is the output. It’s always the case.
Better Call Saul premieres after Breaking Bad concludes; if Kyle Shanahan lives up to our collective expectations, he will once again prove to be a Vince Gilligan-like talent. In March 2021, the stakes were established, increased in May 2021, and finally exponentiated in August 2023. Now that week one is approaching, Kyle feels like everything is on the line.
