Coming in with a ton of hype fresh off winning the Heisman Trophy, Jayden Daniels immediately delivered what many believe to be the greatest rookie quarterback season in NFL history.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed him last year, but he’s hoping to erase that memory this season. But before the new season kicks off, the Washington Commanders quarterback is now taking legal action against his alma mater, LSU. For some corners of the NFL world, though, his actions appear unsavory.
Jayden Daniels Feels Disrespected by LSU
The entire situation arose because the Tigers gave cornerback DJ Pickett the same jersey number, #5, that Daniels had worn during his time with the program. As a result, his team sent a direct message to the school.
They made it clear that LSU couldn’t use his “name, image, and likeness” moving forward. According to ESPN sources, Daniels feels he’s being treated differently than Joe Burrow, whose #9 jersey has gone unused since his 2019 national title run. Daniels himself has not publicly stated this comparison, but it has become central to the backlash.
Unfortunately, not everyone shares the same sentiments about the former Offensive Rookie of the Year’s plight. Bud Elliott of CBS Sports ripped into him for trying to compare him to Burrow, pointing out the obvious differences in their resumes.
Taking to X, Elliott wrote, “Joe Burrow led a team to a ring and had one of the most historic seasons ever. Daniels is such a whiner. Get over yourself.”
To his credit, the numbers certainly give a massive advantage to the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback.
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Both players started just two seasons with the Tigers. While Daniels had a solid 2022 season, he truly came into his own during his Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in 2023. Winning the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, he took home virtually every quarterbacking award in the collegiate landscape.
He also set the single-season passer rating record for the FBS with 208.0, and the LSU single-season record for quarterback rushing yards and touchdowns with 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns to his credit.
Burrow, on the other hand, had one of the greatest seasons in college football history. Going a perfect 15-0 en route to the College Football Playoffs National Championship, he hoisted the Heisman Trophy while leading the NCAA in passer rating, passing yards, and passing touchdowns.
The unbelievable season saw him throw for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions with an eye-popping 76.3% completion rate. As a result, the comparison isn’t exactly one-to-one, as Daniels tried to make it.
It remains to be seen how his demand from LSU pans out. But for the time being, it doesn’t seem like the NFL media is firmly in his corner.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.