BYU Quarterback Jake Retzlaff Partners with Manischewitz to Celebrate Jewish Heritage and Excellence

BYU Quarterback Jake Retzlaff Partners with Manischewitz to Celebrate Jewish Heritage and Excellence

Edited by: TJVNews.com

In a groundbreaking moment for college athletics and Jewish culture, Jake Retzlaff, star quarterback at Brigham Young University (BYU), has entered into an historic sponsorship deal with Manischewitz, the iconic Jewish food brand. The partnership marks the company’s first-ever sports sponsorship and includes a special-edition matzah box featuring Retzlaff’s image—a rare honor that places him alongside cultural icons like Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali, whose faces have graced similarly iconic products. As reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), the deal transcends sports, celebrating Retzlaff’s Jewish identity and bridging his heritage with his collegiate football success.

At just 21 years old, Jake Retzlaff has already made a name for himself on and off the field. Growing up in Pomona, California, where he attended a Reform synagogue, Retzlaff is BYU’s first Jewish starting quarterback and one of only three Jewish students at the Mormon flagship university in Utah, according to the information in the JTA report. Despite the small Jewish community at BYU, Retzlaff has embraced his identity with pride, wearing a Star of David necklace around campus and even adopting the nickname “BY-Jew.”

His athletic achievements this past season were equally notable. Retzlaff threw 20 touchdowns, leading BYU to a 10-2 record in the Big-12 Conference and securing a top-25 national ranking. These accomplishments have resonated with fans of all backgrounds, elevating him as a symbol of excellence both as an athlete and as a proud representative of his Jewish faith.

Retzlaff’s partnership with Manischewitz was made possible through the NCAA’s Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) initiative, which allows college athletes to profit from their personal brands. The JTA report revealed that the deal includes a limited-edition run of special Retzlaff-branded matzah boxes, to be distributed in a giveaway, as well as social media and video content featuring Retzlaff sharing Jewish traditions and recipes.

“Manischewitz has always been part of my life,” Retzlaff shared in a press release. “I grew up with matzo with peanut butter as my favorite snack, and every Passover, my family and I made matzo pizza together. At Chanukah time, our tradition was making potato latkes,” he recalled, as was noted in the JTA report.

The collaboration will span the Jewish holiday season, running from Hanukkah through Passover, and will showcase Retzlaff’s Jewish upbringing and involvement in the local Jewish community in Provo, Utah. Notably, Retzlaff has participated in local Jewish events, including wrapping tefillin in BYU’s stadium and leading Provo’s first public Hanukkah menorah lighting.

Founded in 1888 in Cincinnati, Manischewitz is a household name synonymous with kosher food, particularly its matzah. The company’s decision to partner with Retzlaff reflects its mission to celebrate Jewish heritage and highlight figures who exemplify Jewish pride and excellence.

“We are so proud to welcome Jake officially into the Manischewitz family this holiday season,” said Shani Seidman, chief marketing officer of Kayco, Manischewitz’s parent company, as was reported by the JTA. “He is such an inspiration, and we are honored to support his exciting football career and dream. This partnership represents everything the brand aspires to be—celebrating our heritage and bringing awareness to Jewish food and excellence.”

For Retzlaff, the partnership is about more than football or personal branding—it’s about sharing his Jewish traditions and fostering connections in unexpected places. “Now, at BYU, I’m able to share these traditions with my teammates,” Retzlaff said, as per the information in the JTA report. “This partnership is about creating connections and celebrating Jewish pride in ways I never expected.”

Through this collaboration, Retzlaff is not only spotlighting Jewish culture at a predominantly Mormon institution but also showcasing the power of representation in sports. His efforts to share his faith have already had an impact, with his public embrace of Jewish rituals and traditions sparking conversations and fostering understanding within the BYU community.

As JTA highlighted that Retzlaff’s journey reflects the resilience and pride of the Jewish community. From his athletic achievements to his leadership in local Jewish events, he embodies the values Manischewitz seeks to celebrate. The limited-edition matzah boxes, combined with social media campaigns and recipes, aim to inspire a broader audience while paying homage to Jewish traditions.

This partnership marks a continuation of a proud legacy of Jewish athletes connecting with their heritage through sponsorships. From Sandy Koufax lending his name to the Tropicana Motel in 1962 to Sue Bird’s long-running endorsement deals with major brands, Jewish athletes have used their platforms to amplify their cultural identity, the JTA report indicated. Retzlaff, through this deal, joins their ranks as a prominent symbol of Jewish pride.

The Manischewitz-Retzlaff partnership was the brainchild of Jewish comedian Eitan Levine, known for creating Jewish sports content for his social media platforms. Levine, who had previously worked with Manischewitz on other projects, envisioned the collaboration after producing an Instagram reel about Retzlaff that garnered over a million views, the report on the JTA web site said. To Levine, the pairing of Retzlaff with Manischewitz felt like a shidduch, the Hebrew term for a romantic match.

“First of all, Manischewitz is Jewish, Jewish is Manischewitz,” Levine told JTA. “Food is one of the biggest parts of Judaism, arguably bigger than the Torah itself. When you think of Manischewitz, I immediately think of Jewish culture.”

Levine saw Retzlaff as the ideal ambassador for the brand. The quarterback’s accomplishments—a 10-win season, leading BYU to a bowl game, and thriving in Division I football as one of the few Jewish players—make him a trailblazer. His pride in his Jewish identity, symbolized by his Star of David necklace and active participation in Provo’s Jewish community, made him a natural fit for Manischewitz’s brand values.

Retzlaff’s story is one of breaking barriers and defying stereotypes. As Levine pointed out, Jewish football players are rare, especially at the Division I level. Yet Retzlaff has excelled at BYU, a predominantly Mormon institution, while remaining unapologetically and visibly Jewish. His presence at BYU, where he is one of just three Jewish students, has resonated deeply with fans and teammates alike.

Levine, a Yeshiva University graduate, highlighted the cultural parallels between BYU and Orthodox Jewish institutions. “There is an immediate understanding, or just like a comfortability, between these two groups,” Levine told the JTA, reflecting on his visit to BYU’s campus.

The deal also comes at a time when stories of Jewish positivity are particularly needed. “This past year has not exactly been great,” Levine noted, referencing the alarming rise in antisemitism. “Antisemitism has been spiking to insane degrees. And a lot of the stories that come out about the Jewish community—they’re so few and far between—are they positive? This is a purely positive story.”

Retzlaff’s sponsorship is rooted in the NCAA’s Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) initiative, which allows college athletes to profit from their personal brands. The deal includes limited-edition Manischewitz matzah boxes featuring Retzlaff’s likeness, distributed in giveaways, along with social media campaigns and video content highlighting Jewish recipes and traditions.

For Retzlaff, the deal is deeply personal. “Manischewitz has always been part of my life,” he shared with the JTA. “I grew up with matzo with peanut butter as my favorite snack, and every Passover, my family and I made matzo pizza together. At Chanukah time, our tradition was making potato latkes.”

The collaboration allows Retzlaff to share these traditions with his teammates and fans, creating connections that extend beyond football. “This partnership is about creating connections and celebrating Jewish pride in ways I never expected,” he said.

In a year marked by challenges for the Jewish community, Retzlaff’s story offers a much-needed dose of positivity. By partnering with Manischewitz, he not only highlights the richness of Jewish culture but also inspires pride and resilience. Levine summed up the significance of the partnership: “This is a purely positive story, being able to merge Manischewitz, which is a purely positive Jewish brand—no one hates Jewish food—and merging that with Jake, which is a purely positive Jewish story, it just makes complete sense.”

This historic NIL deal is not just a personal milestone for Retzlaff but a significant step forward for Jewish pride in sports and beyond.