Jayden Daniels Sends Cease-and-Desist to LSU Over No. 5 Jersey in NIL Dispute
Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has sent a cease-and-desist letter to LSU after the school gave his iconic No. 5 jersey to sophomore CB DJ Pickett — the first player to wear it since Daniels won the Heisman in 2023. Daniels' camp says he's being treated differently than Joe Burrow, whose No. 9 has never been reassigned.
Jayden Daniels Sends Cease-and-Desist to LSU Over No. 5 Jersey
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has sent a cease-and-desist letter to LSU's athletic department, demanding the school stop using his name, image, and likeness after the Tigers gave his iconic No. 5 jersey to sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett.
The letter, sent Aug. 5 to LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry and obtained by ESPN, marks the first known instance of a former college athlete formally invoking NIL rights against their alma mater over jersey number usage.
The Dispute
Pickett is the first LSU player to wear No. 5 since Daniels left Baton Rouge for the NFL after winning the 2023 Heisman Trophy. While the number hasn't been formally retired, Daniels' camp believes the school should have consulted him before reassigning it.
"The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU's decision to give Jayden's number to another player."
— Statement from Daniels' spokesperson
The Joe Burrow Comparison
Sources told ESPN that Daniels believes he is being treated differently than Joe Burrow, whose No. 9 jersey hasn't been worn at LSU since he won the 2019 Heisman Trophy and led the Tigers to a 15-0 record and a national championship.
Former LSU coach Brian Kelly had reportedly held off on reassigning Daniels' number, but current head coach Lane Kiffin is honoring a promise made to Pickett during the previous regime's recruiting cycle.
When asked Thursday if Daniels deserves to have his No. 5 jersey retired, Kelly responded: "Absolutely, and Joe (Burrow), too."
What This Means for NIL
The dispute highlights a new frontier in college athletics: the tension between a school's tradition of reassigning jersey numbers and a former athlete's ongoing NIL rights. Legal experts say the case could set a precedent for how programs handle the legacy of star players in the NIL era.
Daniels, who spent three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to LSU, was named the Heisman Trophy winner after he passed for 3,812 yards with 40 touchdowns and ran for 1,134 yards with 10 scores, leading the Tigers to a 10-3 record in 2023.
Last season, Daniels labored through an injury-plagued season and appeared in only seven games for the Commanders.
Source: The Athletic / ESPN
