Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels’ attorney sent a letter to LSU informing the program that it can no longer use his name, image and likeness. The Aug. 5 letter, sent to Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry, argues that the NIL agreement between Daniels and the school expired 180 days after his final college game. It landed after sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett was allowed to wear the No. 5 jersey Daniels wore when he won the Heisman Trophy in 2023.
Former LSU Star Blasts Jayden Daniels’ Action Against the Tigers
After news of Daniels’ actions broke, former Tigers nose tackle Breiden Fehoko gave the Commanders quarterback a blunt reality check, while comparing him to Joe Burrow, who also won the Heisman Trophy at LSU.
“I say this in no form of disrespect to JD as a fellow Tiger. You not on the same level as Joey B,” Fehoko wrote.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin said Aug. 5 that Pickett had been promised No. 5 when he signed with the Tigers in December 2024, under previous coach Brian Kelly. “When a kid’s promised something to come to a school, he should wear it,” Kiffin told reporters. “So at that point, I don’t think it’s really my decision. We should honor what he was told.”
Kelly, fired in October 2025, told ESPN he believed the number had been promised to Pickett but chose not to issue it because Daniels objected. “We didn’t want to issue No. 9, so you can’t treat one differently from the other,” Kelly said.
Before he joined LSU, Daniels began his college football career with the Arizona State Sun Devils in 2019, becoming the program’s first freshman quarterback to start in the opening week.
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Daniels entered the transfer portal in 2022 and joined the Tigers, where he won the starting job. The quarterback had the best season of his career in 2023, tallying 3,812 passing yards on 72.2% completion, 40 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, adding 1,134 rushing yards and 10 scores.
Musician Wale waded into the discussion and sided with Daniels over LSU giving out his jersey number.
“If u win a heisman ur jersey should be on ice ..” Wale wrote.
After sending the letter to LSU via his attorneys, Daniels’ spokesperson released a statement detailing the quarterback’s disappointment at the situation.
“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player,” the statement from Daniels’ spokesperson said. “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.
“His Heisman Trophy-winning season and everything he accomplished on and off the field cemented his place in LSU history. 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.”
Daniels became just the third LSU player to win the Heisman alongside Billy Cannon (1959) and Joe Burrow (2019). Burrow led the Tigers to the national championship in 2019 and headlined what is considered the best team in college football history. Burrow’s No. 9 jersey has never been worn since he left Baton Rouge.
