Joe Burrow’s name has been pulled into a new LSU jersey dispute, even though the Bengals quarterback isn’t directly involved.
The issue centers on former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who is unhappy that the school assigned his old No. 5 to current sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett for this season, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Wednesday. Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2023, believes his number should be treated the way Burrow’s No. 9 has been treated at LSU - kept off another player’s back, even though it has never been officially retired.
Burrow’s number has not been worn by anyone since he entered the NFL in 2020.
“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU's decision to give Jayden's number to another player,” the statement from Daniels’ spokesperson said in the story. “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.”
Schlabach also wrote that Daniels feels he is being held to a different standard than Burrow, whose No. 9 has remained unused since he won the Heisman Trophy and helped LSU finish 15-0 and claim the College Football Playoff national championship in 2019.
That connection matters because Daniels and Burrow are two of LSU’s three Heisman winners in school history.
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin also addressed the situation, saying Pickett’s No. 5 was part of the recruiting pitch that brought him to the program.
“DJ is in [No.] 5, and that was a situation that was promised to him in recruiting here, for him to sign here,” Kiffin stated. “I've done a lot of research on that with the family and the representatives and the people, so really I didn't have a decision to make.
It was promised to the kid; it wasn't done for whatever [reason]. I'm not going to get into that.
"I'm not going to judge something [that was done] when I wasn't here. But when a kid is promised something to come to a school, he should wear it.
So, at that point, I don't think that's really my decision. We should honor what he was told.”
Burrow has not commented on the matter, and he is not directly tied to the dispute.
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