The Jayden Daniels “No. 5” meme has grown out of the former LSU quarterback’s dispute with the school over his old jersey number. LSU gave No. 5 to sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett after telling him the number had been promised to him during recruitment. Daniels’ representatives later sent LSU a cease-and-desist letter over the school’s use of his name, image and likeness. The dispute became a joke online, with fans, teams and sports accounts pretending that even the number 5 needed Daniels’ permission. Now, former LSU star Leonard Fournette has added to the joke by giving Pickett a No. 5 chain.
What is the Jayden Daniels No. 5 meme?
The meme is based on the idea that Daniels somehow needs to approve every use of the number 5. That is not what his cease-and-desist letter says, but social media turned the dispute into a running joke.
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Sports teams and other accounts began posting messages about avoiding the number “out of respect for Jayden Daniels.” Columbia football posted a picture of its field without the 5-yard line, while the New York Mets joked about stopping at four runs. StubHub also said it would no longer offer ticket groups of five, offering groups of four or six-plus instead.
The joke spread beyond football, too. A post about hurricane categories joked about removing Category 5, while other sports accounts made similar jokes about No. 5 jerseys, scores and game situations. The common point was simple: take the number out of something and pretend it was done to avoid upsetting Daniels.
Why is Jayden Daniels’ No. 5 at the center of the LSU dispute?
Daniels wore No. 5 during his two seasons at LSU and won the 2023 Heisman Trophy with the Tigers. No LSU player had worn the number since Daniels left for the NFL until Pickett took it this season.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin said Pickett had been promised No. 5 during his recruitment. Pickett also said he had worn the number since he was four years old and that it was the number he was promised at LSU.
Daniels’ representatives objected to the move. His spokesperson said the Daniels family felt “deeply disappointed and profoundly disrespected” by LSU giving his number to another player. Daniels later said he hoped the issues between his team and LSU could be resolved privately.
Leonard Fournette gives DJ Pickett a No. 5 chain
Fournette has now entered the story in a very visible way. The former LSU running back returned to Baton Rouge to honor Trey’Dez Green and Whit Weeks, who received his former No. 7.
During the visit, Fournette also gave Pickett a No. 5 chain. Zack Nagy of 247Sports reported the gesture on X, quoting Fournette as saying, “Gotta bless the 5.”
The chain does not change the dispute between Daniels and LSU. It does, however, give the internet another reason to joke about the No. 5 saga, especially after the number itself became the center of a meme across sports social media.
