Trey Lance Bio
Trey Aubrey Lance is an American professional football quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). Born on May 9, 2000, in Marshall, Minnesota, he played college football at North Dakota State, where he collected multiple awards and led the Bison to national championships. Selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 NFL draft, Lance faced injuries and limited opportunities before later joining the Dallas Cowboys and eventually signing with the Chargers in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Trey Aubrey Lance was born on May 9, 2000, in Marshall, Minnesota. He grew up in a football household and was trained primarily by his father, Carlton Lance, a former cornerback who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League and the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football. That early coaching shaped his development as a young passer and runner.
Lance played running back in youth football and first took snaps at quarterback in middle school. He later attended Marshall Senior High School, where he became regarded as the top quarterback prospect in the state of Minnesota. Although he originally hoped to play for the University of Minnesota, several Power Five programs projected him as a wide receiver or defensive back, and he ultimately committed to North Dakota State in December 2017.
Path to American Football
After committing to North Dakota State, Lance joined a Bison program with a strong recent track record of developing professional quarterbacks. He spent his first year as a redshirt, appearing in two games in 2018 and rushing for two touchdowns. In 2019, he was elevated to the starting role, and his dual-threat play quickly established him as one of the most exciting young players at the FCS level.
That breakout season led to several major honors, including the Walter Payton Award as the most outstanding offensive player in the FCS and the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman. He also earned Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-MVFC recognition, while leading North Dakota State to another FCS national championship. The following spring, his brief 2020 appearances and his subsequent decision to opt out cemented his status as a top NFL prospect.
Trey Lance Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
During his redshirt season in 2018, Lance appeared in two contests and recorded two rushing touchdowns, giving the program an early look at his athletic potential. He then took over as the full-time starter in 2019 and delivered one of the most decorated seasons in program history. Lance completed 192 of 287 passes for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns without an interception, an NCAA record for most passing attempts in a season without an interception, while also adding 1,100 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
His 2019 performance powered North Dakota State to the 2020 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, where he was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after a 28-20 victory. The combination of national recognition, championship production, and rushing ability positioned him as a premium NFL draft prospect and a finalist for the top overall quarterback in his class.
San Francisco 49ers Era (2021-2022)
The San Francisco 49ers traded up with the Miami Dolphins and selected Lance third overall in the 2021 NFL draft, making him the highest-drafted FCS quarterback since Carson Wentz and the franchise’s first first-round quarterback since Alex Smith in 2005. He signed a four-year rookie contract worth $34.1 million on July 28, 2021, and began the season as the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo.
Lance made his NFL debut in Week 1 of the 2021 season against the Detroit Lions, throwing a five-yard touchdown pass to Trent Sherfield during a 41-33 road win. He scored his first career rushing touchdown two weeks later against the Green Bay Packers. He earned his first career start in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals and his first career win in Week 17 against the Houston Texans, passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. The 49ers reached the NFC Championship Game that season, with Lance serving in a backup role during the playoff run.
Named the starter for 2022, Lance started the season opener against the Chicago Bears and completed 13 of 28 passes for 164 yards. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks that required surgery, limiting him to just two games that year. Heading into 2023, Brock Purdy’s emergence and the additions to the quarterback room pushed Lance to third on the depth chart, leading to a trade.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2023-2024)
On August 26, 2023, the 49ers traded Lance to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick, which Dallas used on Malik Mustapha. He entered 2023 as the third-string quarterback and was a healthy scratch for the entire regular season. On May 1, 2024, the Cowboys declined the fifth-year option on his contract, setting him up to reach free agency after that season.
During the 2024 preseason, Lance saw his most extensive action with Dallas, completing 33 of 49 passes for 323 yards and a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers, though he was also intercepted five times. After Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9, Lance was promoted to the backup role behind Cooper Rush. He made his Cowboys regular season debut in relief against the Philadelphia Eagles and later started the season finale against the Washington Commanders, passing for 244 yards in a 23-19 loss.
Los Angeles Chargers Era (2025-Present)
On April 4, 2025, Lance signed a one-year contract worth up to $6.2 million with the Los Angeles Chargers, including $1.5 million guaranteed. He spent the regular season backing up Justin Herbert, then started the regular season finale against the Denver Broncos while Herbert rested for the playoffs. In that 19-3 loss, he completed 20 of 44 passes for 134 yards with an interception returned for a touchdown and led the team with 69 rushing yards. On March 14, 2026, he re-signed with the Chargers on a one-year deal worth $6.75 million.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Lance’s most memorable career moments is his 2019 FCS season, during which he set an NCAA record for most passing attempts in a single season without an interception. He has also been part of two FCS national championship teams, earned game MVP honors in the 2020 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, and secured his first NFL victory as a starter for the 49ers against the Houston Texans in 2021.
Trey Lance Career Wins
Across his NFL career, Lance has recorded one regular-season start that resulted in a victory, a 23-7 win over the Houston Texans in Week 17 of the 2021 season, in which he passed for 249 yards and two touchdowns. His other starts in the regular season and preseason have produced a mix of growing pains and flashes of the dual-threat ability that made him a top draft pick.
NFL Highlights
Lance’s primary NFL win came in his second career start, when he helped San Francisco close out the 2021 regular season with a decisive home victory over the Houston Texans. He has not yet logged a regular-season win with the Dallas Cowboys or the Los Angeles Chargers, although his late-season starts in 2024 and 2025 offered additional starting opportunities and valuable experience.
Other Performances
At the college level, Lance led the North Dakota State Bison to FCS national championships in 2018 and 2019, serving as a redshirt in 2018 before becoming the full-time starter in 2019. He was also named MVP of the 2020 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game and earned Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, MVFC Offensive Player of the Year, and First-Team All-MVFC honors during the 2019 season.
Trey Lance Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Lance comes from a football family, with his father, Carlton Lance, having played cornerback professionally in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and in the World League of American Football with the London Monarchs. Carlton served as Trey’s primary trainer growing up, and the family football tradition has continued with Trey’s younger brother, Bryce Lance, who also played at North Dakota State and is currently a wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints.
Personal Life
Off the field, Lance is known as an Evangelical Christian and was a leader of his local Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter during his time at Marshall Senior High School. He remains close to his family and continues to be active in faith-based community work, in addition to his ongoing professional football career in the NFL.
2025 Season Performance
Lance’s 2025 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers was primarily a developmental year spent as the backup to franchise quarterback Justin Herbert. He appeared in limited regular-season duty while learning the offensive system and building a rapport with teammates, providing depth behind one of the league’s most established starters.
His lone start of the regular season came in the finale against the Denver Broncos, when the Chargers rested Herbert in preparation for the playoffs. Despite the 19-3 loss, Lance logged 44 pass attempts, threw for 134 yards, and added 69 rushing yards, showing the dual-threat profile that originally made him a top draft pick. The season offered reps and visibility heading into a critical contract year.
Lance re-signed with the Chargers in March 2026, a sign of confidence from the organization in his continued growth. Heading into the 2026 season, he is expected to remain in a backup role while competing for more meaningful playing time, with his performance in 2025 serving as a foundation for further development within the Chargers’ quarterback room.
