BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff inks sponsorship with Jewish food brand Manischewitz

The BYU Cougars are the only FBS program at a Mormon school in the country. Despite that, their starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff is not a member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Instead, he’s Jewish and that’s become a well-known fact about his identity.

Now, Jake Retzlaff reportedly has a new NIL sponsorship deal in place that pays homage to his heritage with the Jewish food brand Manischewitz.

For Manischewitz, this is the company’s first-ever sports deal. It’s set to include boxes of matzah being sold with Retzlaff’s likeness on them. Those boxes of matzah are going to be special edition, so for fans who want to get their hands on one, it’s only available for a limited time and won’t be available in stores, only through a special giveaway.

Along with that, Retzlaff will be involved in social media and video content to show Jewish holiday traditions and showcase recipes.

Matzah is a type of unleavened bread that is traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Passover. It’s part of the celebration of the Israelites leaving Egypt, referencing the haste that the people had to leave in that they couldn’t wait for the bread to rise.

“Manischewitz has always been part of my life. 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,” Retzlaff said. “Now, at BYU, I’m able to share these traditions with my teammates. This partnership is about more than football — it’s about creating connections and celebrating Jewish pride in ways I never expected.”

This comes after BYU had an incredible run with Retzlaff at quarterback. The Cougars started the season 9-0 and appeared to be in the College Football Playoff picture before a pair of losses took them out of both the Big 12 race and the Playoff race. Still, the program and Retzlaff in particular garnered plenty of attention over the course of the season.

“We are so proud to welcome Jake officially into the Manischewitz family this holiday season,” Shani Seidman, the chief marketing officer of Kayco, Manischewitz’s parent company, said in the release. “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.”

Jake Retzlaff is currently one of three Jewish students at BYU. He came to the school as a three-star recruit in the Class of 2021, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. A California native, he grew up attending a Reform synagogue.

While at BYU, Retzlaff has been embraced for his Jewish heritage. He’s been nicknamed the “BY-Jew” and wears a Star of David necklace. He has also been involved in the Jewish community in Provo. That has helped him resonate with fans around the country, regardless of their affiliation with BYU.