A viral practice photo out of Baton Rouge had the internet absolutely buzzing this week, with fans convinced multiple LSU Tigers players were throwing shade at former Heisman winner Jayden Daniels by rocking his old No. 5 jersey. Turns out, the internet went full conspiracy theorist over those pictures. But hold up, the real drama brewing behind that iconic number is even juicier than social media initially thought: Jayden Daniels’ family feels ‘deeply disrespected’ by the university, and that, my friends, is a story that hits different.
The Great #5 Conspiracy That Wasn’t
Those pictures, first dropped by @AlexBoxWarrior, showed two different players flaunting the No. 5 jersey: one on defense in white, another on offense in purple. Within hours, these shots exploded across social media. Fans were convinced LSU had deliberately flooded the roster with the number as a direct jab at their former quarterback. The takes were legendary! One user quipped, “They created a million Jayden Daniels,” while another celebrated the “troll game 1000%.” Someone else just flat out joked, “everyone wearin it, poor Jayden,” and one even claimed they’d be a “Lane Kiffin fan forever if he did that.”
The online sleuths totally missed a basic football practice rule: teams routinely give the same jersey number to two different players during training camp, especially when one plays offense and the other defense. So, that viral photo? Not about disrespect. Just practice.
The Real Battle for No. 5
Now, let’s talk about the actual drama surrounding the No. 5 jersey, because this one is way more personal. Current LSU head coach Lane Kiffin assigned the defensive No. 5 jersey to sophomore cornerback D.J. Pickett. This is the exact number Jayden Daniels wore back in 2023 when he snatched the Heisman Trophy under former coach Brian Kelly. Daniels absolutely torched college football, throwing for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,134 yards and another 10 TDs. That’s 50 total touchdowns in one of the most explosive individual seasons in school history!
His individual brilliance powered the team to a 10-3 record and a ReliaQuest Bowl win. So, for that number to be handed out so soon? That’s where the tension started. Kiffin explained his decision, saying Pickett was promised the jersey number when he originally signed with the school. Kiffin stated, “When a kid is promised something to come to a school, he should wear it. So, I really don’t think that’s my decision. He should be honored with what he was told. So, he’s wearing it.”
Daniels’ family wasn’t buying it, with a spokesperson saying they felt genuinely ‘deeply disrespected’ by the university’s move. Pickett, for his part, just told reporters it was a promised number and wished Daniels the best. This whole situation just dropped a huge spotlight on the tension between a former star and his old program. When a Heisman winner’s legacy gets caught in a jersey dispute like this, you know there’s more to the story than meets the eye for LSU.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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