LSU football is back to zero days without incident.
Late Wednesday, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported that former LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman winner, issued a cease-and-desist letter to the university barring it from using his name, image and likeness after first-year coach Lane Kiffin OK’d cornerback D.J. Pickett’s switch to his No. 5 jersey.
The number hasn’t been in use since Daniels departed for the NFL, and a spokesman for the NFL’s 2024 Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year blasted the decision to reissue it.
“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected,” the statement began.
“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,” it continued.
Daniels began his collegiate career with the Arizona State Sun Devils but developed into an elite NFL prospect at LSU, where he started 26 games between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. As a fifth-year senior in 2023, Daniels completed 72.2 percent of his pass attempts for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions while adding 1,134 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 135 carries. The Tigers led the nation in scoring (45.5 points per game), but a porous defense that allowed 28 points per game kept the team from title contention, finishing 10-3 and No. 12 in the final AP poll.
Jayden Daniels, LSU at odds over his No. 5 jersey
The public dispute is an unfortunate development and one solely of LSU’s making. Daniels isn’t issuing a wild demand by expecting the program to respect his historic run, instead only wishing it followed prior precedent. As Schlabach noted, the program’s other two former Heisman winners — running back Billy Cannon (No. 20) and quarterback Joe Burrow (No. 9) — haven’t had their numbers reissued in the years since earning the award.
Kiffin rationalized giving Daniels’ No. 5 to Pickett by saying it was “promised to him in recruiting” as a member of the 2025 high-school class, deflecting to LSU’s former coaching staff, led by coach Brian Kelly.
“When a kid is promised something to come to a school, he should wear it,” Kiffin continued.
That argument would be more valid if Pickett was a true freshman, but Pickett is entering his second season and was perfectly fine wearing No. 3 as a freshman. Per Schlabach, Kelly explained not giving the corner Daniels’ number because he “wasn’t prepared to do it until we got a full commitment from another Heisman winner.”
“We didn’t want to issue No. 9, so you can’t treat one differently from the other,” Kelly added.
Kiffin is simply picking and choosing which parts of the old regime to honor and using it as a shield. It was his choice, and he should own it. Regardless, the situation is a bad look and one that could have easily been avoided. It also tells future recruits that their accomplishments might not be accurately revered once they leave for the pros.
Without Daniels’ blessing, his No. 5 jersey should be off limits. LSU shouldn’t be alienating one of the best players in program history, and Kiffin’s decision has threatened to fracture that relationship.
It would be regrettable if the two sides can’t get on the same page. After all, Daniels’ Heisman season will forever be part of the program’s legacy. Knowing Kiffin’s history, he may leave for another job in four months.
