Jayden Daniels' Issue With DJ Pickett Wearing No. 5 Is Ridiculous

The LSU Tigers are no stranger to being in the spotlight of college football, though, recently, it has been because of varying expectations for the program in year one of the new polarizing head coach, Lane Kiffin.

This time, it's in regard to the upcoming season, but primarily because former Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels is unhappy with the program, sending a cease-and-desistletter to the school about using his NIL because DJ Pickett will be wearing the No. 5 jersey this season.

While the Tigers have set their eyes on the upcoming season, and Daniels' eyes should be on his upcoming season with the Washington Commanders, rather than celebrating a plaque honoring his accomplishments in the purple and gold, the discussion has turned into a petty argument over a number, instead of celebration.

Daniels is Villifying Himself in Baton Rouge

LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) calls for the ball against Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Taurean York (21) during the first half at Tiger Stadium | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Tiger fans are one of, if not the most, passionate fan bases in the country, caring less about anything other than the success of their football team. While the program hasn't felt the high of a national championship in a while, the last quarterback who did, Joe Burrow, is a living legend who will always preside in Louisiana history.

Daniels, on the other hand, while proving to be an elite quarterback in every facet of the game, didn't deliver that success, but he did bring back a Heisman Trophy. That was under coach Brian Kelly, who is no longer with the program, after also failing to bring any meaningful success to Baton Rouge.

Kelly, who was the same coach who recruited Pickett and promised him the No. 5 if he committed to Baton Rouge, a number that he watched Daniels find success in and bring a Heisman trophy home in. Kiffin, for all of the talk of his theatrics, is doing everything right in his book, making good on a promise kept to his player that was before his time with the program. The Tigers have no intention on changing their plan to give Pickett the number, and nor should they.

The frustration should be with Kelly, as with many Tiger fans who are still frustrated by his reign here, as he was the one who originally shipped his number off. Daniels was a light in a falling darkness in Baton Rouge, willing the team to success during his time here; he should be applauded for that, but instead, a tainted memory that lies in a number on a jersey proves it was never about the name in front, just the one on the back.

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