The internet has had a field day (more like a field week) poking fun at Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
It’s been a rough couple of days for the former LSU standout. But no need to feel bad for the 25-year-old NFL star… he and his team brought this online firestorm upon themselves. All of the “Number 5” memes that have taken over social media this past week stem from an actual cease and desist that Daniels sent his alma mater.
The former Heisman winner informed Louisiana State University that they can no longer use his name, image and likeness because he felt disrespected that the No. 5 that he wore was allowed to be worn by another football player there. He allegedly compared his situation to how LSU treats another one of their famous, football-playings alums: Joe Burrow.
Needless to say, this hasn’t gone over well:
“Jayden Daniels informs LSU it can no longer use his name, image and likeness, per ESPN. The Daniels family is ‘deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected’ that LSU gave Daniels’ number to another player. He feels he’s being treated differently than Joe Burrow.”
One of those situations where a joke of a cease and desist leads to a barrage of jokes online.
The official cease and desist told LSU that they were no longer authorized to use Daniels’ name, image, or likeness in any capacity, and though it didn’t specifically mention the root of the issue, it’s understood that Daniels is upset that sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett will be wearing the No. 5 jersey during this upcoming college football season
LSU coach Lane Kiffin says that Pickett was promised the number when he committed to the program back in 2024.
And as far as the “Daniels is upset he’s not being treated like Joe Burrow” side of things, there is some truth to that. Though Burrow’s number hasn’t been retired yet, the No. 9 hasn’t been worn since he left LSU after leading them to an undefeated season that ended with a National Championship. The university has chosen to keep it out of circulation on the team.
No one had worn the No. 5 since Daniels donned it during his time as a Tiger until Pickett decided that’s the number he wanted to roll with for his sophomore season. That’s where the controversy (as silly as it all is) really comes from, and those on social media – from college football fans to professional baseball teams – have really enjoyed ripping into Daniels.
We here at Whiskey Riff even threw a Jayden Daniels meme out there, and in this compilation of the best online jokes, I saved the best for last:
Brutal.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such a precipitous loss of aura like this. Jayden Daniels was a quarterback that was exciting to watch and plenty of NFL fans rooted for. Now, he’s going to be public enemy No. 1 (just in time for the start of the pro season), and will have a hard time escaping the No. 5 memes.
As a Minnesota Vikings fan myself, I’m just excited that these memes should take some of the heat off of JJ “Nine” McCarthy…
