A dispute over a jersey number has turned into a standoff between LSU and one of its most decorated quarterbacks.
According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, an attorney representing Jayden Daniels sent LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry a letter on August 5th stating that the school is no longer allowed to use Jayden’s name, image and likeness. The surprising move came shortly after LSU fulfilled their promise to sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett by issuing him number 5 this season.
Although the number is not officially retired, Daniels’ team believed it wouldn’t be reissued after he won the Heisman Trophy at LSU in 2023. A statement from Daniels’ spokesperson to ESPN said the family feels “deeply disappointed” and “profoundly disrespected” by the decision, believing his number should have remained “a meaningful part of his LSU legacy.”
Head coach Lane Kiffin said the school looked into the situation with Pickett’s family and representatives and concluded that the number had been promised to Pickett during his recruitment, a position former head coach Brian Kelly had also backed. Pickett let everyone know that he doesn’t plan on changing his number, explaining “I’ve worn the number my whole life since I was 4 years old. It’s the number I was promised [by LSU]. I wish Jayden the best. Good player, and he did real good here.”
As the story gained traction throughout the day, Daniels went to instagram and posted a statement on his story in an attempt to calm things down. “I have been locked in on training camp and that’s been my number one focus. I have a lot of gratitude for my time at LSU and I’m proud of what my teammates and I accomplished there. Obviously there are issues to be worked out between my team and LSU and my hope is that it will get done privately. My sole personal focus is on Commanders football. I realize the business of football is unique and I trust this can all be resolved.”
The controversy has sparked massive debate across social media and even fans of LSU have turned on Daniels quickly, with many completely disregarding everything the quarterback has done in his short time with the Tigers. For now, there’s no resolution and LSU has shown no intent on pulling the number from Pickett. Both sides appear to be keeping their stance on things moving forward.
— Eric Palmer, TigerSources