LSU is pushing back against Jayden Daniels after the former quarterback’s legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to the program Thursday morning.
Daniels’ attorneys told LSU it can no longer use his name, image and likeness. The dispute centers on LSU’s decision to give his No. 5 jersey to cornerback DJ Pickett.
The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner led LSU for two seasons before entering the NFL Draft. He’s now the starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders.
But his college success wasn’t enough to keep his number off limits.
Both Pickett and head coach Lane Kiffin made it clear Thursday they’re not backing down from Daniels’ legal challenge.
Pickett stands firm on wearing No. 5
The five-star cornerback from Tampa addressed reporters after practice Thursday.
“I’ve wore the number my whole life, since I was four years old. It’s the number I was promised. I wish Jayden the best, good player. He did real good here, so, that’s all.”
Pickett earned freshman All-American honors in 2025 while wearing No. 3.
He made no indication he plans to switch numbers for the 2026 season.
Kiffin backed his player’s position completely. The coach said LSU promised Pickett the No. 5 during recruiting.
“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, per ESPN. “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 won’t budge on jersey promise
The LSU coach said he’s honoring commitments made before he arrived in Baton Rouge.
“I’m not going to judge something [that was done] when I wasn’t here. But when a kid is promised something to come to a school, he should wear it. So at that point, I don’t think that’s really my decision. We should honor what he was told.”
When asked about Joe Burrow’s No. 9 jersey, Kiffin declined to comment.
“I’m not going to get into that. There’s a lot to numbers and whether they’re retired, whether they’re not, different versions. I don’t have an answer.”
#LSU cornerback DJ Pickett took the podium following Day 8 of Fall Camp to address the Jayden Daniels situation.
Pickett wishes Daniels the best – but will remain in No. 5.
“It’s the number I was promised.”
Pickett’s entire statement from Thursday: pic.twitter.com/7quUGqopAs
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) August 13, 2026
Why Daniels is fighting LSU
Daniels’ legal team says LSU can’t use his name, image or likeness after giving away his jersey number without permission.
“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player. 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.”
The statement makes clear Daniels never gave LSU permission to reissue his number.
Former coach Brian Kelly confirmed he believed No. 5 was promised to Pickett during recruiting. But Kelly chose not to give up the number out of respect for Daniels.
“I just wasn’t prepared to do it until we got a full commitment from another Heisman Trophy winner,” Kelly said, per ESPN. “We didn’t want to issue No. 9, so you can’t treat one differently from the other.”
Kelly was fired nine weeks into the 2025 season.
Daniels posted on social media Thursday acknowledging “there are issues to be worked out between my team and LSU” but said his focus remains on the Commanders.
Jayden Daniels just posted this on Instagram relating to the situation with LSU: pic.twitter.com/0iUJXcek6Z
— John Keim (@john_keim) August 13, 2026
LSU’s jersey retirement policy
LSU has retired jerseys for five football players: Billy Cannon (No. 20), Tommy Casanova (No. 37), Jerry Stovall (No. 21), Charles Alexander (No. 5) and Bert Jones (No. 7).
The program plans to retire Jones’ number on Nov. 14.
But LSU’s retirement policy allows numbers retired after Jan. 1, 2007 to still be issued “subject to the discretion of the head coach,” according to the athletic department website.
Players must wait five years after completing their career before being nominated for jersey retirement. The policy requires “truly unusual and outstanding accomplishments, such as winning a Heisman Trophy or National Player of the Year award.”
Daniels won the Heisman Trophy in 2023 but hasn’t met the five-year waiting period.
Other LSU athletes with retired jerseys include basketball stars Bob Pettit, Pete Maravich and Shaquille O’Neal, plus women’s basketball standouts Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles.
