Cincinnati Bengals and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow revealed that LSU officials had previously told him his No. 9 jersey wouldn't be worn by another Tigers player.
"They told me that they wouldn't use it again, but you never know what happens," Burrow said Thursday, per WCPO 9's Caleb Noe.
Burrow's comments come amid a dispute between LSU and Jayden Daniels, another Heisman Trophy-winning Tigers quarterback. Daniels' lawyers recently sent a letter to LSU demanding that it stop using his name, image, and likeness, after the school allowed cornerback D.J. Pickett to wear No. 5, Daniels' old number, this season. The cease-and-desist letter alleges that LSU has used Daniels' NIL past its authorization date, but no specific instances were cited, according to The Athletic.
Burrow declined to weigh in on the controversy between LSU and Daniels. Notably, no Tigers player has worn No. 9 since Burrow led the team to an undefeated season and national title in 2019.
"I don't necessarily have too many thoughts at this time," Burrow said. "I don't know enough about the situation to have any thoughts."
Despite the issues, Daniels said Thursday that he's optimistic that a resolution "will get done privately" as he focuses on preparing for his third NFL campaign.
However, Pickett, who wore No. 3 as a freshman in 2025, doesn't intend to give up his new number easily, saying LSU "promised" it to him, per Louisiana First News' Chessa Bouche.
Daniels concluded his collegiate career by playing his final two seasons at LSU, becoming the third Tigers player to capture the Heisman Trophy after recording 50 total touchdowns in 2023.
