LSU has once again found itself in the offseason spotlight ahead of the 2026 college football season. This time, however, the controversy centers around a former player — a Heisman Trophy winner, at that. LSU on Aug. 5 received a cease-and-desist letter from an attorney representing former quarterback Jayden Daniels, insisting the university no longer make use of his name, image and likeness (NIL). Per the letter, obtained by ESPN, LSU cites Daniels' NIL contract, which states the school cannot use his NIL 180 days following his final college game. 'This is so weak.' Jayden Daniels' cease-and-desist letter to LSU draws plenty of reaction That would have been May 22, 2024 — why then, has Daniels issued the cease-and-desist, some three years after the purported 180-day grace period ended? Per ESPN, Daniels and his family felt "disappointed" and "disrespected" that LSU allowed his No. 5 jersey to be worn by sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett. "Jayden and his family had every reason to believe that his number would remain a meaningful part of his LSU legacy and would be honored and protected in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the university,"per the statement from Daniels' spokesperson. ESPN, citing a source, also said LSU has treated Daniels differently than fellow Heisman winner Joe Burrow, whose No. 9 jersey has not been worn by any player since the end of the Tigers' legendary 15-0 campaign that ended with the College Football Playoff championship in 2019. Here's a look at Jayden Daniels' stats at LSU, including those of his Heisman campaign, amid his jersey dispute with the school:
Jayden Daniels LSU stats
Passing: 502-of-715 passing (70.2%) for 6,725 yards and 57 touchdowns to 7 interceptions Rushing: 321 attempts for 2,019 yards (6.3 yards per carry and 21 touchdowns Receiving: 1 reception for 5 yards and 1 touchdown
Did Jayden Daniels win the Heisman? Yes, Daniels won the Heisman in 2023, his second season with the Tigers. He won with a total of 2,029 points, 328 more than second-place Michael Penix Jr. of Washington. He won the Heisman after leading the Tigers to a 9-3 regular-season record. He completed 236-of-327 passes (72.2%) for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns to four interceptions while rushing 135 times for 1,134 yards (8.4 ypc) and 10 more scores. In so doing, he became the just the third LSU player to win the Heisman, joining Billy Cannon from 1959 and Burrow in 2019. Jayden Daniels record at LSU Daniels led the Tigers to a 10-win season in 2022, going 19-7 as a starter. He led the Tigers to a 10-4 record in 2022, which included a berth in the SEC Championship game, where the Tigers lost to eventual national champion Georgia. He concluded the year with a 63-7 win vs. Purdue in the Citrus Bowl. The following year, Daniels led a 9-3 regular-season campaign, ending his LSU career with a 42-30 win vs. Texas A&M. He had the opportunity to play one more game for LSU, but opted out of the ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Wisconsin to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, where he went No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders, behind only fellow Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams. Jayden Daniels vs Joe Burrow stats Here's a look at Daniels and Burrow's respective stats at LSU, where both quarterbacks played two seasons:
Jayden Daniels: 502-of-715 passing (70.2%) for 6,725 yards and 57 touchdowns to 7 interceptions | 321 rushing attempts for 2,019 yards (6.3 yards per carry and 21 touchdowns | 1 reception for 5 yards and 1 touchdown | 20-6 record as starter Joe Burrow: 621-of-906 passing (68.5%) for 8,565 yards and 76 touchdowns to 11 interceptions | 243 rushing attempts for 767 yards (3.15 ypc) and 12 touchdowns | 1 reception for 16 yards
LSU retired jerseys: Is Joe Burrow number retired at LSU? Here's a look at the jerseys LSU football has retired:
Billy Cannon (No. 20) Tommy Casanova (No. 37) Jerry Stovall (No. 21) Charles Alexander (No. 4) Bert Jones (No. 7) (scheduled for Nov. 14, 2026)
Per LSU, the retiring of any football jersey — except Cannon's — does not preclude future players from wearing it: Under a provision of the LSU jersey retirement bylaws established Jan. 1, 2007, the retirement of an athlete’s jersey in a particular sport does not preclude a current student-athlete in that sport from wearing the jersey number in that or any other sport, subject to the discretion of the head coach. This provision applies only to jerseys retired after January 1, 2007. The numbers worn by Maravich, Pettit, O’Neal, Cannon and Bertman may never again be worn by future student-athletes in their respective sports. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jayden Daniels LSU stats: Why Heisman QB feels 'disrespected' over jersey dispute