LSU legend drops strong words on Jayden Daniels number drama and the Joe Burrow narrative
The LSU Tigers are dealing with some drama that they almost certainly don’t want to be dealing with right now.
The LSU Tigers are dealing with a nightmare of a situation right now thanks to the fallout from the Jayden Daniels number drama that dominated headlines on Thursday morning.
Daniels, if you missed the story, is upset that LSU issued his No. 5 to sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett, who was apparently promised the number during the recruiting process under Brian Kelly. Pickett wore No. 3 as a true freshman last season because Kelly didn’t want to give him the number without Daniels’ blessing.
New LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, however, gave Pickett the No. 5 because of the promise that was made to him during the recruiting process. According to reports, Pickett getting to wear the No. 5 is in his contract with LSU, but it was added into his contract earlier this year when he renegotiated it to come back for his sophomore season in Baton Rouge.
Ryan Clark addresses the Jayden Daniels drama and the Joe Burrow narrative
In the midst of the number drama with Daniels, some have pointed out that Joe Burrow’s No. 9 has not been issued to anyone else at LSU since he left Baton Rouge. Some have tried to make this a Burrow versus Daniels thing, but that’s not the case.
Former LSU defensive back Ryan Clark took to social media on Thursday afternoon to address the situation and the idea that this is a Daniels versus Burrow situation.
“Before the rumor mill runs wild, or things get taken out of context, hoping to provide some clarity,” tweeted Clark. “The Daniels camp understands that the No. 5 jersey is not retired at LSU, nor have they ever asked for it to be. The cease-and-desist is not about the number itself or about DJ Pickett. It is about respect—and the process by which that number was ultimately given out.
“For those attempting to make this about Jayden and Joe Burrow, that narrative is simply not accurate. This is about respecting and honoring a young man who brought the program its third Heisman Trophy and represented LSU with distinction. I’ve spoken with people on both sides about this situation, & I’ll add this. I love this young man, and I love my school. My hope is that this situation can be resolved in a respectful manner that honors everyone involved and, most importantly, recognizes what Jayden Daniels accomplished for LSU.”
It’s an unfortunate situation that LSU fans are having to deal with. Daniels is a beloved former player who had an incredible year at LSU when he won the Heisman Trophy. At the same time, Pickett is a great player who was made a promise by the previous coaching staff.
Everyone’s got opinions on the situation. The reality, though, is that this is a dark cloud hanging over LSU at the moment, and it’s hard to see it getting resolved anytime soon.
