Jayden Daniels sends cease-and-desist letter to LSU regarding No. 5 jersey, NIL usage
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Attorneys representing former LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels have sent a cease-and-desist letter to LSU.
The letter informed LSU that it can no longer use Daniels’ name, image and likeness, and that the former Tigers QB feels “profoundly disrespected” after Tigers cornerback DJ Pickett was allowed to switch to the No. 5 jersey for the upcoming season.
Pickett, a freshman All-American last season, wore No. 3 in 2025 and switched to No. 5 this offseason. Of course, Daniels also wore No. 5 during his 2023 Heisman trophy season. According to a statement from Daniels’ spokesperson, the former Tigers QB made it clear that he did not want another player wearing No. 5 and he “believed that his wishes would be respected.”
“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player,” the statement said, via 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.”
Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin told reporters last week that Pickett was promised the No. 5 jersey while being recruited to Baton Rouge. Former Tigers coach Brian Kelly, however, decided not to issue the number to him because of Daniels’ objection.
“I just wasn’t prepared to do it until we got a full commitment from another Heisman Trophy winner,” Kelly told ESPN on Wednesday. “We didn’t want to issue No. 9, so you can’t treat one differently from the other.”
As Kelly alluded to, Joe Burrow’s No. 9 jersey has not been worn at LSU since he led the Tigers to the 2019 national championship.
It’s worth noting again that Daniels’ letter is not an attempt to bar Pickett from wearing No. 5. Daniels lacks the legal footing to do so. Instead, the letter is intended to inform LSU it “must immediately cease and desist from any further issue use, display, publication, distribution, promotion, commercialization, or other exploitation of Mr. Daniels’ NIL in any manner or medium.”
Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
