On Thursday, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels became the talk of the sports news cycle for a wholly unexpected reason.
Adam Kenner, Daniels’ attorney, sent a cease-and-desist letter to LSU Football regarding “any further use, display, publication, distribution, promotion, commercialization, or other exploitation of Mr. Daniels’ NIL in any manner or medium.”
The letter from Jayden Daniels’ attorney Adam Kenner to LSU football stating the program “must immediately cease and desist from any further use, display, publication, distribution, promotion, commercialization, or other exploitation of Mr. Daniels’ NIL in any manner or medium.” pic.twitter.com/QdX6Tl1evG
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 13, 2026
An unnamed spokesperson for Daniels told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach that the cease-and-desist is born out of LSU’s decision to let cornerback DJ Pickett wear No. 5. Daniels rocked No. 5 as LSU’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in 2023.
ESPN and SEC Network radio host Paul Finebaum joined The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan on Friday, and he did not hold back on Daniels.
“I want to say one thing because I’m not an equivocator, but I got to know Jayden when he was at LSU,” Finebaum said. “I really liked him, talked to him a lot, and I would interview [former LSU head coach] Brian Kelly. Even when he went to the Commanders, there was a great sense of pride in what he did the first year. I say all that to say this: He’s lost all of that from everywhere and everyone in LSU Nation after what happened this week.”
“I’ve rarely, if ever, seen a dumber, more senseless move,” Finebaum continued. “I don’t know who pulled the strings, but all the ‘clean up on aisle 3’ from Jayden Daniels from this moment on will not be enough. He has made a terrible mistake. He can be successful in Washington. I hope he is. But I would advise him to never waste another second in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, because they are done with him.”
Later in the segment, Finebaum said “maybe my statement was a little hyperbolic” to say Daniels is persona non grata in Louisiana, but he was trying to “represent what I heard from LSU fans yesterday.”
Finebaum added that “there were no supporters” for Daniels amongst his callers on Thursday’s The Paul Finebaum Show, though he acknowledged his own bias may have set the tone for his callers.
Finebaum called Daniels “a really great player” at LSU, but “he’s still not Joe Burrow.” Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow led LSU to an undefeated season en route to winning the Heisman and national championship in 2019.
Joe Burrow on the Jayden Daniels jersey controversy at LSU pic.twitter.com/enm1REY086
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) August 14, 2026
“While, individually, Jayden Daniels may be one of the two or three best players in the history [of LSU], he’s not gonna be remembered that way because he never got a title,” Finebaum said.
Finebaum also noted that he’d be “incredibly disappointed” if Burrow did this, but “he would at least have a leg to stand on.”
Nobody has worn No. 9 since Burrow left LSU, and LSU allegedly gave Daniels the impression that nobody would wear No. 5, either.
“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player,” Daniels’ unnamed spokesperson relayed to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. “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.”
Daniels posted his own statement to his Instagram Story.
“I have been locked in on training camp, and that’s been my number one focus,” Daniels wrote. “I have a lot of gratitude for my time at LSU, and I’m proud of what my teammates and I accomplished there.
“Obviously, there are issues to be worked out between my team and LSU, and my hope is that it will get done privately. My sole personal focus is on Commanders football. I realize the business of football is unique, and I trust this can be resolved.”
Daniels began his collegiate career at Arizona State before transferring to LSU in March 2022. After emerging as a star in 2023, the Commanders selected Daniels second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Daniels immediately became a rookie sensation, leading the Commanders to their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991. Last season, Daniels missed 10 games with elbow, hamstring, and knee injuries. While Daniels didn’t need any extra motivation, he may carry an LSU-sized chip on his shoulder into the 2026 NFL season, and he’ll shut everyone up if he recaptures his Heisman form.
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