Jayden Daniels Revokes NIL Rights After LSU Reassigns No. 5 Jersey

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has barred LSU from using his name, image, and likeness after the program gave his No. 5 jersey to DJ Pickett.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has officially notified LSU that the university is no longer authorized to use his name, image, and likeness (NIL). This legal move, detailed in an August 5 letter from attorney Adam Kenner to Tigers athletics director Verge Ausberry, follows the program's decision to allow sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett to wear the No. 5 jersey. Daniels wore that specific number during his 2023 Heisman Trophy campaign, where he recorded 3,812 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, 1,134 rushing yards, and 10 scores on the ground.

Pickett, a Zephyrhills, Florida native and the No. 2 cornerback in the Class of 2025, debuted in the No. 5 jersey during preseason practice last week under first-year head coach Lane Kiffin. During his 2025 freshman All-American season, Pickett wore No. 3 and logged 524 defensive snaps, tallying 37 tackles, one sack, and a team-high three interceptions. Kiffin stated on August 5 that the jersey swap was a fulfillment of a recruiting promise made to Pickett in December 2024, noting that he felt obligated to honor the commitment made before his arrival in Baton Rouge.

Legacy and Jersey Retirement Policies

While LSU has retired the jerseys of Billy Cannon (No. 20), Tommy Cassanova (No. 37), Jerry Stovall (No. 21), and Charles Alexander (No. 4), Daniels’ No. 5 remains unretired. The school also plans to retire Bert Jones’ No. 7 on November 14. Current university policy dictates that any number retired after January 1, 2007, can still be worn by active student-athletes at the head coach's discretion. To be eligible for retirement, an athlete must be five years removed from competition and have won a major award like the Heisman Trophy. Only Cannon’s No. 20 is permanently barred from being issued to any future football player.

Former coach Brian Kelly, who was fired on October 26, 2025, with a 34-14 record, confirmed that he previously declined to give Pickett the No. 5 jersey. Kelly noted that he was unwilling to issue the number without a commitment from another Heisman winner, citing the precedent set by Joe Burrow’s No. 9. Burrow’s jersey has not been worn since his 2019 season, which featured a 15-0 record and a College Football Playoff national championship. Daniels reportedly feels he is being treated differently than Burrow despite his own historic contributions to the program.

Legal Ramifications and NIL Restrictions

The cease-and-desist letter sent by Kenner asserts that Daniels' contract only allowed LSU to utilize his NIL for 180 days following his final collegiate game. The document demands that the university immediately stop the promotion, commercialization, or distribution of any materials featuring the quarterback. Any further use of his image will be considered a willful violation subject to legal remedies. A spokesperson for the Daniels family stated they feel "profoundly disrespected," believing the number should have been protected to honor his legacy.

Daniels was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft and earned the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. However, his most recent professional season was limited to seven games due to injuries. Before his tenure at LSU, the quarterback spent three seasons at Arizona State. At the time of the dispute, an LSU athletics department spokesman declined to comment on the legal notice or the jersey assignment.