Jayden Daniels is limiting his relationship with LSU. Attorneys for the Washington Commanders quarterback sent a cease-and-desist letter to his alma mater this week, ordering them to stop using Daniels’ name, image and likeness, according to multiple reports from late Wednesday night.
The relationship between Daniels and the school — where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2023 — reportedly became fractured after coaches assigned the No. 5 jersey to sophomore cornerback D.J. Pickett.
Daniels also asked LSU to hand over its copy of his Heisman Trophy, according to a report from LouisianaSports.Net on Thursday.
“I have a lot of gratitude for my time at LSU and I’m proud of what my teammates and I accomplished there,” Daniels wrote on Instagram. “Obviously there are issues to be worked out between my team and LSU and my hope is that it will get done privately.”
Daniels wore No. 5 during his two seasons with the Tigers after transferring from Arizona State ahead of the 2022 campaign. No other LSU player had worn the jersey since the Commanders drafted Daniels with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft.
“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player,” a spokesperson for Daniels said in a statement to ESPN. “Jayden and his family had every reason to believe that his number would remain a meaningful part of his LSU legacy and would be honored and protected in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the university.”
LSU officials have not responded to The Washington Times’ request for comment.
The program has a precedent for allowing numbers to remain unused. No LSU player has worn Joe Burrow’s No. 9 since the All-American led the Tigers to a national championship following the 2019 season.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin, who joined the program this offseason, said the number controversy was out of his control.
Pickett wore No. 3 during his first season in Baton Rouge, which saw him secure three interceptions as he was named a Freshman All-American. No. 5 was always on the defender’s radar, though.
“D.J. is in [No.] 5, and that was a situation that was promised to him in recruiting here, for him to sign here,” Kiffin told reporters last week. “I’ve done a lot of research on that with the family and the representatives and the people, so really I didn’t have a decision to make. It was promised to the kid.”
The explanation did not appear to appease Daniels.
“Jayden made it clear that he did not want his number given to another player, and he believed his wishes would be respected. … ” the statement from his representative said. “To see his number given to another player is incredibly disappointing and feels like a failure to honor the significance of what Jayden accomplished at LSU.”
Pickett has no plans to change his jersey number, though.
“I’ve worn the number my whole life, since I was four years old,” he said Thursday. “It’s the number I was promised. I wish Jayden the best. He’s a good player.”
Reactions to the jersey controversy have been mixed, with sports shows around the country weighing in on Thursday morning.
Some observers, including former NFL linebacker Will Compton and ex-Titans tackle Taylor Lewan, empathized with Daniels’ position. Lewan noted that football players often fall victim to “main character syndrome,” where athletes are hyper-focused on their own perspective.
But the argument lost steam when comparing Daniels’ LSU legacy to Burrow’s, the retired players said.
“What big games did he win at LSU?” Compton said on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “I get that he won the Heisman, but we’re comparing the name of Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow went 15-0. Joe Burrow threw for a billion touchdowns and over 9,000 yards collectively.”
“There’s no reason to act entitled. You won the Heisman Trophy; it’s great. It’s LSU’s choice to retire a number, whether or not to hand out your number to other players,” local radio host John-Paul Flaim said on “The Sports Junkies.” “I think I’m Team LSU on this one.”
Daniels, 25, is preparing for his third NFL season in Washington. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after an electric 2024 that saw the Commanders appear in the NFC Championship Game. His second season was derailed by injury, as he finished just three games during the disappointing 5-12 campaign.
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