An attorney representing Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels sent a letter to LSU on Aug. 5, telling the university it can no longer use his name, image and likeness. The letter was addressed to Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry.
The dispute centers on LSU's decision to allow sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett to wear No. 5—the number Daniels wore when he won the Heisman Trophy in 2023.
LSU has not retired Daniels' jersey, and Pickett is the first player to wear No. 5 since Daniels left the program for the NFL. Daniels' spokesperson released a statement outlining the family's position.
"The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU's decision to give Jayden's number to another player," the 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."
Pickett, a freshman All-American in 2025, wore No. 3 during his first season with the Tigers. He recorded three interceptions, 37 tackles and one sack across 524 defensive snaps in 2025.
The issue surfaced last week when Pickett appeared in No. 5 during preseason practice, prompting questions about the decision made by first-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin.
"Jayden made it clear that he did not want his number given to another player, and he believed his wishes would be respected," the spokesperson said. "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."
Sources indicate Daniels believes he is being treated differently than Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow's No. 9 has not been worn at LSU since he led the Tigers to a 15-0 record and a College Football Playoff national championship in 2019, also winning the Heisman Trophy.
An LSU athletic department spokesman declined to comment. Kiffin addressed reporters on Aug. 5, saying Pickett had been promised No. 5 when he signed with LSU in December 2024. Pickett wore the number as a high school standout in Zephyrhills, Florida, where ESPN Recruiting ranked him as the No. 2 cornerback in the Class of 2025.
"DJ is in [No.] 5, and that was a situation that was promised to him in recruiting here, for him to sign here," Kiffin said. "I've done a lot of research on that with the family and the representatives and the people, so really I didn't have a decision to make. It was promised to the kid; it wasn't done for whatever [reason]. I'm not going to get into that."
Kiffin added: "I'm not going to judge something [that was done] when I wasn't here."
Daniels earned a business degree from LSU and held various NIL deals during his collegiate career. He was honored by San Bernardino mayor Helen Tran on Jan. 20, 2024, with a key to the city, and Cajon High School's football stadium was dedicated in his name.
LSU has previously been involved in legal disputes over NIL. Court filings from LSU's lawyers argued that revenue records sought by reporters were covered under the NIL exemption to state public records law and protected by federal student privacy law, and that public release of such information would create a competitive disadvantage in the student-athlete marketplace.
