Weeks After Saga Over Jayden Daniels’ No. 5, LSU Legend Honors DJ Pickett With Special Chain Ahead of 2026 Season: “Gotta Bless…

Quarterback Jayden Daniels 5 as the LSU Tigers take on Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, © Reuters

Leonard Fournette was back in Baton Rouge this week, speaking with the LSU Tigers during their preseason camp.

In the process, he blessed Trey’DeZ Green and Whit Weeks to wear the No. 7 jersey he made famous during his time at LSU. Fournette also gifted DJ Pickett a No. 5 chain, a gesture that came weeks after the controversy surrounding Jayden Daniels’ former jersey number.

The gesture comes weeks after Jayden Daniels’ dispute with LSU over the use of his former No. 5. The Heisman Trophy winner sent the school a cease-and-desist letter earlier this month after Pickett was assigned the number. In a video of him gifting Pickett the chain, the former LSU running back could be heard saying:

“Gotta bless the five.”

A statement from a spokesperson for the signal-caller argued that the school’s continued use of the No. 5 constitutes an unauthorized use of his name, image, and likeness, a position that has been met with skepticism by fans and analysts.

What did Jayden Daniels’ statement say?

On August 5, an attorney representing Jayden Daniels sent a letter to Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry, informing LSU that they can no longer use the player’s name, image, and likeness, including his No. 5 jersey.

In a statement published by ESPN on August 12, a spokesperson for Daniels explained the decision as follows:

“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player,” the statement said . “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.”

“Jayden made it clear that he did not want his number given to another player, and he believed his wishes would be respected, his Heisman Trophy-winning season and everything he accomplished on and off the field cemented his place in LSU history. To see his number given to another player is incredibly disappointing and feels like a failure to honor the significance of what Jayden accomplished at LSU.”

The jersey number wasn’t retired by the LSU Tigers, but Pickett’s use of it will be the first time a player wears the No. 5 in Baton Rouge since Jayden Daniels’ departure following his 2023 Heisman Trophy season.

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