Jayden Daniels has become the center of an odd social-media pile-on, and the latest post from the College Football Playoff only added more fuel.
After the Washington Commanders quarterback and his family moved against LSU over the school’s use of his No. 5 jersey, Daniels has been getting mocked online. One of the running jokes is that people are deliberately avoiding the number five as a sign of “respect” for him.
That’s why the CFP’s X post caught attention. The page asked followers who the greatest player to wear No. 5 is, a question that looked harmless on its face. But with Daniels already at the center of a viral jersey dispute, plenty of people saw it as a possible nod to the situation.
The issue started when LSU gave the No. 5 jersey to sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett. Daniels’ family reportedly threatened legal action, saying they had been promised the Commanders quarterback’s jersey would never be used again after his Heisman-winning season. LSU has only one retired number, Billy Cannon’s No. 20, and Cannon was the first Tiger to win the Heisman.
The backlash has been swift, and Daniels has taken heat from fans who think the whole thing has spiraled into something absurd. The jokes online have turned the number five into a punchline, with many people leaning into the “respect” bit at Daniels’ expense. It’s been a rough PR mess for the Daniels family as the 2026 season approaches.
Daniels and the Commanders are trying to put a disappointing 2025 season behind them. After reaching the NFC Championship Game in Daniels’ rookie year, Washington missed the playoffs entirely. Daniels’ injuries played a major role, with the quarterback missing a significant portion of the season after dealing with injuries throughout the year.
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