49ers QB Trey Lance has successful surgery on broken ankle

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance had successful surgery Monday after suffering a fractured ankle against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2.

“Truly appreciate all of the messages and prayers,” Lance wrote in a tweet. “Surgery was a success and I am ready to attack this rehab process. We will never understand why, but I trust that it’s all a part of His plan. I will be back better than ever. This chapter is going to make the story even greater!”

In a statement, the 49ers said team physician Dr. Tim McAdams “is confident that [Lance] will recover completely in time for a full return in the 2023 season.”

Lance suffered the injury after running the ball in a play on the second drive of the game on Sunday. A cart came out on the field and Lance’s leg was put into an air cast before he was taken off. 

Lance’s teammates and several Seahawks players paid him respect before he left the field and was replaced by former starter Jimmy Garoppolo, who went 13 of 21 passing for 154 yards, finding the end zone both through the air and on the ground in San Francisco’s 27-7 win.

Lance — who had taken over the starting job this season from Garoppolo after being drafted third overall in 2021 — was 2-for-3 for 30 yards passing and had three carries for 13 yards before leaving the game. 

Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless both said they were gutted for Lance over his injury. Even though Lance took the starting job, Sharpe believes the 49ers are better with Garoppolo. 

“I’m not sure why they were so anxious [to start Lance],” Sharpe said on Monday’s “Undisputed.” “I get it, there’s a ceiling for Jimmy G, but you better hope that the guy you’re bringing in to replace Jimmy G, he can crash through that ceiling and go above it. I’m not sure if that kid was ready to do that this year.

“Look at what [Garoppolo’s] been able to do. He’s led a team to the Super Bowl and led a team to two NFC Championship Games. He’s won 70% of his regular-season starts.”

Bayless was more concerned about Lance’s long-term health, mentioning that the young quarterback suffered a knee injury in 2021 and a prior injury to a finger on his throwing hand as well. 

“If you’re going to run the football the way Kyle Shanahan wants to have him run the football … you’re going to have to withstand some punishment and not get hurt,” Bayless said.

“He’s had three different injuries already in a fairly limited amount of playing time. It horrifies me because it’s not the best early sign about his durability.”

Garoppolo didn’t practice with the team during training camp, throwing on his own on a side field, before agreeing to return as a backup on a reduced contract this season. 

Instead of the non-guaranteed $24.2 million base salary Garoppolo was owed this season, he will get a $6.5 million fully guaranteed base salary, $500,000 in roster bonuses and the chance to make nearly $9 million more in playing time bonuses.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.