Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels informed LSU in a cease-and-desist letter it can no longer use his name, image and likeness (NIL) after his No. 5 jersey was given to cornerback DJ Pickett, according to ESPN.
Daniels wore No. 5 during his two seasons at LSU, and won the 2023 Heisman Trophy after he tallied 3,812 passing yards with 40 touchdowns and led the Tigers to a 10-3 record.
“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player,” Daniels’ spokesperson said in a statement, per 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.”
Pickett wore a No. 3 jersey as a freshman last year and is switching to No. 5 this season. He previously wore No. 5 number as a high school star in Zephyrhills, Fla.
Kenner stated that Daniels’ contract with LSU permitted the school to use his NIL for 180 days beyond his final game in college.
Daniels played his final game for LSU on Nov. 25, 2023, a 42-30 home victory against Texas A&M.
He opted out of playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, where the Commanders selected him with the No. 2 pick.
“Jayden made it clear that he did not want his number given to another player, and he believed his wishes would be respected,” said the Aug. 5 letter sent to LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry.
“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.”
LSU has not retired Daniels’ No. 5 jersey.
“Accordingly, LSU 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,” the letter said.
“Any use of Mr. Daniels’ NIL occurring after LSU’s receipt of this notice will be deemed knowing and willful and will be pursued vigorously through all available legal and equitable remedies, without further notice.”
Former LSU coach Brian Kelly, who was fired last October, told ESPN he decided against giving Pickett No. 5 because Daniels didn’t want his number worn by anyone else — adding that he believed No. 5 was promised to Pickett during his recruitment.
“I just wasn’t prepared to do it until we got a full commitment from another Heisman Trophy winner,” Kelly said.
“We didn’t want to issue No. 9 (Joe Burrow’s number), so you can’t treat one differently from the other.”
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin said earlier this month that Pickett was promised No. 5 during his recruitment before signing with the Tigers in December 2024, ahead of him taking over in November 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 told reporters on Aug. 5.
Pickett, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, wore No. 3 during a March practice in Baton Rouge.
“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,” Kiffin said recently. “It was promised to the kid. It wasn’t done for whatever [reason]. I’m not going to get into that.
“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.”
Daniels spent three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to LSU.
Last season, Daniels — the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 — was limited to just seven games due to injury.
