LSU Fans Boomerang: Crowds Reject Jayden Daniels From Jumbotron

Jayden Daniels was electric behind center for the LSU Tigers over two seasons, sweeping every major award including the Heisman Trophy during his 2023 campaign at Tiger Stadium. He deserves to be remembered as a legend forever.

The word that matters most in that thought is "should." Many fans made their feelings clear on Saturday night when the team crushed Clemson with a final score of 51-10.

During halftime, a video labeled "NFLSU" ran on the jumbotron, showcasing former Tigers now playing in the NFL. The crowd gave a small cheer for everyone featured except one person. When Jayden Daniels' name flashed next to K'Lavon Chaisson, his current teammate with the Washington Commanders, the noise changed instantly into loud booing.

This hostile reaction follows reports that Daniels and his lawyer, Adam Kenner, mailed a cease-and-desist letter to the university in August. The legal team argued the program could not keep using his name, image, or likeness. "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," Kenner wrote to athletic director Verge Ausberry. The letter warned that any future use would be treated as willful and pursued aggressively through all legal channels without another warning.

Daniels wore number 5 during his time in Baton Rouge. Now, sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett wears that same digit for the Tigers this season. Pickett insists he has worn No. 5 throughout his career and says it was promised to him when he signed with the Bayou Bengals. Brian Kelly, who coached Daniels at LSU before getting fired, also recruited Pickett. Lane Kiffin now runs the program as head coach in 2026 and had no connection to Daniels while he played there since Kiffin led Ole Miss then.

After winning the Heisman in 2023, it seemed likely his number would be retired. LSU must wait five years before discussing retirement of any jersey numbers though. Daniels seems to have thought the school should have asked him first if another player could wear No. 5 after he left for the NFL. Joe Burrow won the Heisman in 2019 and led LSU to a national title, yet no one has worn his number 9 since the Bengals drafted him first overall in 2020.