The Jayden Daniels-LSU dispute has turned into a noisy little feud, and former Tigers star Patrick Peterson is not impressed with how Daniels handled it.
Peterson, an eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback and LSU legend, recently weighed in on the situation on the “ In The Bayou With Tyrann Mathieu ” podcast. His verdict was blunt.
“Man, I thought it was a little wack and lame, to be honest with you, man, especially with him,” Peterson recently said on the “ In The Bayou With Tyrann Mathieu ” podcast.
Peterson went on to say the timing made the move look even worse, pointing to Daniels’ responsibilities as a pro quarterback and his recovery from injury.
“It was bad timing for one. You have so many things that you need to worry about, as a professional quarterback, and coming off an injury at that.
I feel like that was something that shouldn't have been thought of. I hear that he didn't like the way that he’s been treated.
That he’s not getting the same treatment as Joe Burrow is getting. I don’t know the truth to that.
At the end of the day, I thought it was lame. I thought it was a little childish for him to go and say, ‘You can’t use my number.’”
The clash stems from LSU handing out Daniels’ No. 5 jersey after he left following the 2023 season. Daniels was reportedly unhappy that the number changed hands so quickly, especially after former head coach Brian Kelly had reportedly promised it would not be issued. Kelly is gone now, and when Lane Kiffin took over, he gave the No. 5 jersey to sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett.
That move sparked Daniels’ camp to send LSU a cease-and-desist order over the use of his name, image and likeness. Daniels later addressed the issue on social media, saying there was a disagreement but that his focus was on the Commanders and the upcoming 2026 NFL season.
He also said he hoped the two sides could come together again. When asked about the matter afterward, Daniels pointed back to that statement.
Peterson isn’t the only LSU voice to take issue with Daniels. Tyrann Mathieu also said he thought Daniels had overreached, though both former Tigers made clear they still love Daniels and remain big fans of him.
Still, Daniels has taken plenty of heat for the dispute, while LSU has largely been given room to frame the situation its own way. Kiffin, for his part, has not been cast as the villain here in his own view, since he believed he was honoring a promise made by the previous staff to Pickett.
For now, Daniels doesn’t appear eager to keep talking about it. LSU, meanwhile, seems perfectly willing to keep poking at the story.
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