TIGER RAG NEWS SERVICES
LSU sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett’s father, Damien Pickett, told the Baton Rouge Advocate on Thursday that his son has no intentions of changing his jersey number from No. 5.
Former LSU Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jayden Daniels requested that LSU stop using his name, image and likeness in a cease-and-desist letter via an attorney to LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry obtained by ESPN after Pickett switched from No. 3 last season to No. 5 as practice opened for this season last week.
Pickett thus became the first player to ever wear the number of an LSU Heisman winner. Billy Cannon’s No. 20 was officially retired shortly after he won the 1959 Heisman – a season after he led the Tigers to an 11-0 national championship in 1958. Quarterback Joe Burrow’s No. 9 has not been retired, but no one has worn No. 9 at LSU since Burrow last wore it in the 2019 season when he won the Heisman and led the Tigers to a national championship and 15-0 record.
“Honestly, man, this right here makes us want to wear the number more,” Damien Pickett told The Advocate.
Pickett said LSU coach Lane Kiffin has fully supported his son. Kiffin said after LSU’s first fall practice that DJ was promised the number by former head coach Brian Kelly and the previous coaching staff. Kelly confirmed this to ESPN, but said he did not issue the jersey to Pickett in his freshman season last year because Daniels did not approve.
“We wish in a perfect world that (Daniels) would have given him his blessing, and just from Tiger to Tiger wish my son well,” Pickett said.
Kiffin, though, said he intended to honor a promise made to a high school recruit.
“DJ is in number five,” Kiffin said at his preseason practice opening press conference on Aug. 5. “And that was a situation that was promised to him in recruiting here (by Kelly and/or staff) for him to sign here. And I’ve done a lot of research on that with the family and the representatives and the people. So, really, I didn’t have a decision to make. It was promissed to the kid. It wasn’t done for whatever. I’m not going to get into that. I’m not going to judge something that I wasn’t here. When a kid’s promised something to come to a school, he should wear it,” Kiffin said. “So, I really don’t think that’s my decision. He should be honored with what he was told. So, he’s wearing it.”
Kiffin was asked about the Daniels’ camp cease-and-desist letter at a press conference on Thursday, but decided not to comment.
“I commented a week ago on that,” Kiffin said Thursday. “That’s the comment that I had, and we’re moving forward.”
Pickett liked Kiffin’s stance of last week.
“I have the utmost respect for him honoring what was promised to my son,” Pickett said.
Pickett said his son wears the number to honor his older brother Jaylen, who wore No. 5 like many other former athletes in the Pickett family. DJ Pickett also has a tattoo of the number on his left arm.
“He’s been put in the middle of something that has nothing to do with him,” Pickett’s father said. “My boy’s been wearing No. 5 his whole life.”
Damien Pickett said the family did not know about the cease-and-desist letter, which was sent on the first day of fall camp on Aug. 5, until ESPN broke the story on Wednesday night. Pickett said his frustration lies more with Kelly and his staff for making a promise to his son without Daniels’ approval.
“We never in a million years would have thought that it would come to this about a number, but we’re here,” Pickett said. “Again, my boy doesn’t really care for the attention. It’s disappointing, considering that we’re ready to start the season.”
No. 13 LSU opens the 2026 season against No. 23 Clemson on Sept. 5 in Tiger Stadium on national ABC television at 6;30 p.m.
“To have a situation like this happen right now, considering that Jayden is a legend at LSU, and it’s out that he’s not supportive of my son wearing his number, is very disappointing,” Pickett said.
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