Jake Retzlaff, the “B-Y-Jew,” is among the top Jewish success stories in the world of sports from 2024, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
The news outlet praised the BYU quarterback for leading his college football team to a 10-2 record and a top-25 national ranking — and for breaking down barriers for Jewish students at a school sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“It sounds almost like the opening of a comedy routine: A proudly Jewish player at the flagship university of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints becomes a household name for college football fans. But it’s no joke,” the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported.
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Retzlaff has been recognized for — and asked to speak out about — his Jewish faith multiple times during the 2024 college football season.
In early October, CBS Sports and ESPN’s “College GameDay” both released videos on his experience as a Jew at BYU, as the Deseret News previously reported.
The CBS Sports video included interviews with Retzlaff’s parents and childhood rabbi, who all praised the quarterback for representing his faith well and praised BYU for creating a welcoming environment.
Retzlaff spoke about being in the spotlight and how he hopes his fame will affect other young Jews.
“On the field is where I find so much sanctuary, where I find so much of me feeling God behind me and what I’m doing. I feel like I’m here for a reason, and hopefully somewhere there’s a Jewish kid watching like ‘I can do that, too,’” Retzlaff told CBS Sports.
Retzlaff was not the only Jewish football player recognized by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
The news site also included Texas A&M wide receiver Sam Salz on its list of top Jewish sports moments of 2024, noting that Salz is believed to be the first-ever Orthodox Jew to appear in an NCAA Division I college football game.
Salz briefly took the field during Texas A&M’s senior night game on Nov. 16, JTA reported.
Salz, a walk-on at Texas A&M, is a nontraditional athlete, in part because he doesn’t participate in sports on his Sabbath, which stretches from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. He was able to appear in the November game because it started late.
