Brady spared no mercy for Donald-Yee, giving Lance a verbal slap in the face and letting him taste the bitterness of collective scorn. Things quickly spiraled out of control, becoming a public relations nightmare.
Donald immediately called Lance, reassuring him.
"Don't worry about this mess. It's Goodell's doing. If he hadn't rushed to shove you into the spotlight to draw attention, this backlash wouldn't have happened. Trust me, he'll regret this deeply," Donald said coolly, sending chills down Lance's spine.
It was clear that Donald wasn't just offering comfort—he was sharpening his knives, ready to make Goodell pay for mishandling Lance's introduction.
Initially, Lance was prepared to face the media storm head-on, finding the chaos amusing and even ready for a verbal sparring match. But Donald and Reid stepped in, shutting down any opportunities for him to engage.
Reid took an ironclad stance with the media, stating bluntly:
"Give the rookie some breathing room."
That one sentence was enough to bar reporters from accessing Lance. Without mandatory press conferences during preseason, Reid had full control over player availability and completely shielded Lance.
For someone like Reid, who was typically accommodating to the press, this approach was uncharacteristically firm.
He was left stewing on the sidelines, itching to showcase his verbal judo but thwarted by his coach and agent's strict intervention.
Adding fuel to the fire, Reid decided to bench Lance entirely for the third preseason game.
The Chiefs' coaching staff was already in the loop. Lance wasn't benched out of punishment; it was a show of confidence. After the first two preseason games, Reid had already solidified Lance's position as the starting running back.
Like starting quarterback Alex Smith, Lance didn't need additional time on the field to prove himself.
For the third and even fourth preseason games, Reid focused on evaluating the backup players. With five quarterbacks and eight running backs still vying for roster spots, Reid prioritized giving them opportunities to earn their place.
Yet, the media painted a vastly different picture.
"Lance's underwhelming performance sees him dropped from the starting lineup."
"Is the No. 3 overall pick about to lose his roster spot?"
"Benched again: Is Lance in Reid's doghouse?"
"Chiefs gamble on rookie running back may backfire spectacularly."
"NFL's first Asian first-round pick struggles to adapt—was the hype premature?"
The speculation and headlines grew increasingly sensational, shrouding Kansas City in an oppressive fog of controversy.
Things reached a fever pitch in the fourth preseason game when the Chiefs faced the Tennessee Titans.
This game could have marked a clash of Crimson Tide royalty: Derrick Henry and Lance, two generations of Alabama legends. Additionally, it could have showcased back-to-back Heisman winners squaring off on an NFL field for the first time.
Lance didn't play, nor did Henry.
Both Alabama standouts sat on the sidelines, watching from afar.
"30-6," in favor of the Titans.
Kansas City wrapped up the preseason with a mediocre 2-2 record. Though not disastrous, the performance fell far short of the hype that surrounded them after the draft.
Then came the flood of rumors, escalating to absurd levels.
Reports claimed Lance couldn't handle NFL-level physicality. After an impressive debut, he supposedly experienced fatigue, underperformed in the second game, and even suffered a minor injury. That, the rumors insisted, was why Reid benched him.
It wasn't long before whispers compared Lance to Robert Griffin III—a fragile "glass cannon" plagued by injuries. At least Griffin had an explosive rookie year, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading his team to the playoffs. Lance? He hadn't even completed the preseason.
The narrative snowballed, claiming Reid was shielding Lance to protect his ego and fragile body. Allegedly, this decision had sparked tensions between Reid and General Manager Veach. After all the effort and resources spent to acquire Lance, had they just picked a fragile flower for one of football's most physically demanding positions?
Lance, it seemed, wasn't living up to the hype.
And the question loomed large:
Was he already a bust?
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