The Jayden Daniels/LSU saga took another interesting turn today. News broke yesterday that the former LSU and current Commanders quarterback sent a cease-and-desist to the university.
According to LockedOnLSU’s Matt Moscona, he also requested they remove their copy of his Heisman Trophy from school grounds. However, Moscona wrote that “LSU has no intention of doing so and is undecided to what degree it will comply with the cease and desist, noting it is not a legally binding document.”
Daniels’ disdain from his alma mater stems from them giving his previous No. 5 jersey to five-star sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett, who wore No. 3 last season. The number was reportedly promised to him by LSU’s former head coach, Brian Kelly. However, he would only allow him to wear it with Daniels’ blessing, which the university never received.
This Situation Is Shining Light On Jayden Daniels’ Petty Side
If Daniels had been promised that his No. 5 jersey wouldn’t be reused, then frustration would be understandable. However, the way he is going about it is nothing other than a bad look.
Daniels’ camp is reportedly upset that Joe Burrow’s No. 9 jersey has yet to be donned by another player. However, the jersey has not yet been retired. It can still be used in the future (certainly not any time soon, after this debacle, though). It’s also worth noting that Burrow not only had one of the most prolific passing seasons in college football history, but he also led the Tigers to a perfect 15-0 record and won the National Championship.
Yes, Daniels won the Heisman Trophy in 2023. He put on a show and was undoubtedly the best player in college football. With that said, his team went 9-3, and he opted out of the ReliaQuest Bowl game at the end of the season. Apples to oranges if you’re going to compare that season to Burrow’s iconic 2019 season.
Likewise, this isn’t something that should matter at this point. Not when Daniels’ Commanders are coming off a disappointing 5-12 season in which he missed ten games. Not in the middle of training camp when the 2026 NFL season is one month away. It does nothing but open him up to criticism.
Some Believe Daniels’ Mom Might Be Responsible For The Debacle
Jayden Daniels’ mom has become somewhat of a meme on social media. They have a close relationship, and, all things considered, she moves a typical helicopter parent. Which honestly makes sense when you consider the fact that she’s also his agent.
Some have questioned her status as his manager, as it could potentially lead to a conflict of interest. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio thinks we might be seeing that play out in real time.
“I can’t help but wonder, when mom’s your agent, I can see something like this happening,” Florio said. “Because mom is the one who is going to be [expletive] if this happens under any set of circumstances. So if mom also happens to be agent, then agent mom is possibly going to overreact relative to what we would think someone would reasonably do in this situation.”
Had this story dropped in March or April, it wouldn’t be nearly as big of a deal. However, when he’s on the cusp of his third season in the NFL, the Commanders’ star quarterback shouldn’t concern himself with his former college team. He also should’ve relayed that information to his agent mom before the situation had a chance to blow out of proportion.
Jayden Daniels Requested LSU Remove His Heisman Trophy From School Grounds