The Jayden Daniels and LSU dispute has grown far beyond a jersey number. Fans, analysts, and former players have all taken shots at the quarterback, but former ESPN analyst Ryan Clark believes the criticism has gone too far.
Clark defended Daniels and argued that the quarterback's letter to LSU should not suddenly change how people view his character. But NFL fans have not embraced that argument.
The latest debate began after Clark shared his thoughts on X, where he pushed back against the growing criticism of Daniels.
"The smear campaign against Jayden Daniels bothers me," Clark wrote on X. "Whatever your opinion on the NIL cease-and-desist, nothing changes the way Jayden has represented himself, his family, and LSU, with class and integrity."
Clark then expanded his defense by addressing another part of the conversation that has followed Daniels. He believes people have created an unnecessary comparison between Daniels and another LSU legend, even though their legacies can exist together.
"What bothers me even more is seeing former players and fans try to pit Jayden against Joe Burrow , as if one diminishes the other," Clark added. "Joe is the greatest Tiger to ever live. But what Jayden did in Death Valley deserves to be immortalized in Tiger lore, too."
However, that defense did not exactly win over the NFL community. Soon after Clark posted his comments, fans flooded the replies with their own reactions.
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One fan argued that calling the criticism a coordinated attack went too far. "Calling it a "smear campaign" when people are just making fun of him for being a [expletive] is crazy," they wrote .
Another fan mocked the presentation itself, writing, "Soon as I seen the thumbnail with his hands pressed together, I knew this was gonna get silly."
The criticism only grew from there, with several fans accusing Clark of siding with Daniels without acknowledging the other side.
"Of course RC took the wrong side 😂😭," a third fan wrote.
Another added , "The schtick has become so tired, man."
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One more questioned the entire premise behind Clark's argument, asking, "Is it a smear campaign or just some hilarious memes making fun of a very stupid and petty stance he has taken?"
As the conversation started to spread far and wide, Daniels addressed the situation on Thursday . Rather than fuel the controversy, the Washington Commanders quarterback stressed that his focus remains elsewhere.
"I have been locked in on training camp, and that's been my number one focus. I have a lot of gratitude for my time at LSU, and I'm proud of what my teammates and I accomplished there," Daniels said.
"Obviously there are issues to be worked out between my team and LSU, and my hope is that it will get done privately."
For now, Daniels will want his representatives to handle LSU while he turns his attention back to Washington and the new season.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
