This year’s successful 9-1 football season for Brigham Young University, the Utah private school run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has an unexpected player at the helm: its first Jewish quarterback.
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff runs on a quarterback keeper, during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Provo . BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff leaves the field after BYU failed to score in the final minutes of the gam, during the second half in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Provo .
“I came here thinking I might not fit in with the culture, so this will be a place where I can just focus on school and football,” Retzlaff told The Associated Press. “But I found that, in a way, I do fit. People are curious. And when everybody around you is so faith-oriented, it makes you want to explore your faith more.”
“It’s a lot of respect, honestly. They’re putting me on a mantel sometimes, and I’m like, ‘Whoa guys, I don’t know about that,’” he said with a laugh. Retzlaff is affiliated with the Reform denomination of Judaism, which melds Jewish tradition with modern sensibilities, often prioritizing altruistic values and personal choice over a strict interpretation of Jewish law. He plays football on Friday nights and Saturdays during Shabbat and says sports have become a way to connect with his faith and to inspire young Jewish athletes.
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