Heisman Trophy winner and Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels is not happy that another Tiger, cornerback DJ Pickett, will soon be wearing No. 5 for the LSU Tigers of the SEC. An attorney representing Daniels sent LSU a cease-and-desist letter regarding his name, image, and likeness earlier this month, according to a new report by ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.
This is easily one of the silliest controversies of the college football season, and we haven’t even kicked off yet. Imagine drawing this much ire at the prospect of another player wearing the same number, heaven forbid, at a completely different position at your alma mater.
Daniels is set to earn more than $4 million this year as part of his four-year, $37 million deal with the Commanders. I think maybe DJ can wear your number, good grief.
On a basic level, I can understand why a professional football player like Daniels, selected by the Commanders second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, would notice this, but we’re talking about a defensive player in Pickett, promised the number during his recruitment, according to a new clip of Lane Kiffin addressing the all-too-ridiculous matter.
The closest thing to a rational argument here is jersey sales, but even then, countless players have worn No. 5, and thousands more will until we’re all deep in the ground. It’s a ridiculous thing to push back against the school that platformed and shaped your future.
We’re at a point in sports, though, where money talks louder than logic. This headline caught me not just because of its absurdity, but because of how ruthlessly selfish it is to bar another player from wearing the same digits as you. Kiffin handled the matter perfectly, too, and didn’t play into the argument; He stood his ground and defended his player. Good man.
