The Jayden Daniels and LSU dispute has moved well beyond a jersey number. Even the New York Mets and other MLB teams took a dig at the star quarterback.
Ryan Clark thinks the criticism has crossed a line. The former LSU defensive back defended Daniels on Sunday, arguing that disagreement over the quarterback’cease-and-desistst letter should not become a rewrite of his character.
Ryan Clark Pushes Back on Jayden Daniels Backlash
“The smear campaign against Jayden Daniels bothers me,” Clark wrote on X. “Whatever your opinion on the NIL cease and desist, nothing changes the way Jayden has represented himself, his family, and LSU, with class and integrity.”
“What bothers me even more is seeing former players and fans try to pit Jayden against Joe Burrow, as if one diminishes the other,” Clark added. “Joe is the greatest Tiger to ever live. But what Jayden meant did in Death Valley deserves to be immortalized in Tiger lore, too.”
Daniels’ attorney sent LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry a letter on Aug. 5 informing the school that it could no longer use the Washington Commanders quarterback’s name, image and likeness. The legal dispute surfaced after LSU allowed sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett to wear No. 5, the number Daniels wore while winning the 2023 Heisman Trophy.
The smear campaign against Jayden Daniels bothers me. Whatever your opinion on the NIL cease-and-desist, nothing changes the way Jayden has represented himself, his family, and LSU—with class and integrity.
What bothers me even more is seeing former players and fans try to pit… pic.twitter.com/VJKqSNaVY0
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 16, 2026
Daniels’ representatives said the family felt “profoundly disrespected” by the decision. Daniels later said he hoped the matter could be resolved privately and that his focus remained on Commanders football.
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The internet has not exactly honored that request.
Paul Finebaum called the move “dumber” and “more senseless” than almost anything he could remember and suggested Daniels had badly damaged his relationship with Baton Rouge. The Finebaum criticism added another prominent voice to the backlash.
The Mets piled on after beating the Washington Nationals 4 to 1, posting, “Stopped at 4 out of respect for Jayden Daniels.”
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Clark Says One Dispute Should Not Rewrite Daniels’ Legacy
Clark has pushed back on the framing from the beginning. Earlier in the controversy, he said Daniels’ camp understood No. 5 was not retired and had never asked LSU to retire it. Clark said the issue was about respect and the process used to give the number away.
That distinction has not persuaded everyone, but Daniels’ LSU résumé is not difficult to defend.
In 2023, Daniels threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns while rushing for 1,134 yards and 10 more scores. He won the Heisman Trophy and became LSU’s third winner before Washington selected him No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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According to PFN’s CFB QB Impact Metric, Daniels posted an impact score of 99.4 in 2023, ranking as the highest-rated quarterback since the 2019 season.
LSU rules require athletes to be five years removed from college competition before their jerseys can be considered for retirement, meaning Daniels is not yet eligible.
There is plenty of room to debate whether his camp handled the No. 5 disagreement well. Clark’s point is that the debate has begun to spill over into something much larger.
A cease-and-desist letter can be criticized. Turning it into a complete character evaluation of a player who left LSU with a Heisman Trophy is where Clark believes the conversation has gone off course.
