BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff had a strong first season as a starter in 2024. He completed 213 of 368 passing attempts for 2947 yards and 20 TDs. However, his future as the team’s starting QB is now in doubt because of some serious allegations that have come to light.
In May, Retzlaff was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Salt Lake City. On Friday, a response was officially filed in the Third Judicial District Court in Utah. Retzlaff’s lawyer broke his silence on the allegations, releasing a denial of the accusation from Retzlaff.
“Mr. Retzlaff specifically and categorically denies each and every and all allegations that he bit, raped or strangled [the woman], which are ridiculous and bizarre allegations, all of which are false and untrue.”
Latest on the allegations in a civil suit against BYU QB Jake Retzlaff, who denies a woman’s rape allegations. https://t.co/2lGR48u0hD
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) June 28, 2025
The woman identified in the case is keeping her identity confidential and is known as Jane Doe A.G. in the case. Retzlaff claims that Retzlaff and the woman had consensual sex at Retzlaff’s apartment in November 2023. He also claims that the two shared light-hearted text messages with each other in February 2024. Retzlaff has categorized the accusation as an extortion attempt based on the assumption that he could develop into an NFL player.
BYU Issued a Statement After the Jake Retzlaff Lawsuit Was Filed
Jake Retzlaff is not the only person or party to have released a statement about the lawsuit. BYU also released a statement after the lawsuit was filed, iterating their understanding of the severity of the allegations.
“The university takes any allegation very seriously, following all processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment.”
According to ESPN, Jake Retzlaff could face punishment regardless of whether the allegations are true. In Retzlaff’s statement, he confirms that he had sex with Jane Doe. While he claims it was consensual, pre-marital sex goes against BYU’s honor code. BYU is a university that identifies closely with Christianity.
BYU has the option to punish a student who violates the honor code. Punishments can range from a warning to expulsion. So, even if Retzlaff is found innocent of sexual assault, he could still be punished for having sex while unmarried. A previous example of this happening was in 2011, when basketball player Brandon Davis was dismissed from the team, which was ranked No. 3 in the nation.
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