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New York Post
30-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Quarterback Jake Retzlaff makes decision on his BYU future after rape allegations
Jake Retzlaff is planning on leaving the BYU football program after admitting to having premarital sex – a violation of the school's honor code – and facing a seven-game suspension to start next season, according to multiple reports. The quarterback made the admission as part of a response to a civil lawsuit which alleges that Retzlaff had raped a woman at his Provo, Utah home in 2023. 3 Jake Retzlaff of the Brigham Young Cougars rushes the ball in the third quarter against the UCF Knights at FBC Mortgage Stadium on October 26, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Getty Images During a meeting last week, Retzlaff had been informed that he would likely face suspension for breaking the honor code and began telling members of the football program that he had the intention to leave the school. Retzlaff has already cleaned out his locker at the Student Athlete Building and is expected to publicly announce his decision to play elsewhere later this week, Desert News reported. He had been with the team and was taking part in summer workouts, according to ESPN. A Utah woman filed the lawsuit last month, alleging Retzlaff raped, strangled and bit her during the November 2023 encounter. Retzlaff's lawyer denied the allegations in a legal response on Friday. 'Mr. Retzlaff specifically and categorically denies each and every and all allegations that he bit, raped or strangled AG, which are ridiculous and bizarre allegations, all of which are false and untrue,' part of the response read. 3 BYU Quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) pre-game Media Press Conference at the NCAA Valero Alamo Bowl against Colorado at the Alamodome. Mario Cantu/CSM / Shutterstock The lawyer also described the encounter as consensual. A source told Desert News that the lawsuit is expected to be 'resolved' this week. The woman and football player connected through social media and this led her to come over to play video games on or around Nov. 22, 2023. The woman arrived with friends and several friends and teammates of Retzlaff were at the house, but later in the evening, after the woman's friends left, Retzlaff and the female started watching a movie and began to kiss, according to the suit. 3 Jake Retzlaff (12) of the BYU Cougars in action at the NCAA Valero Alamo Bowl against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Alamodome. San Antonio, Mario Cantu/CSM / Shutterstock 'At some point they began to kiss, but Jane Doe A.G. did not want to do anything more,' the lawsuit stated. 'Retzlaff began escalating the situation … and Jane Doe A.G. tried to de-escalate the situation and attempted to slow things down, trying to pull away, and saying 'wait.' She did not want to do anything sexual with him.' Despite attempts to say 'no' and 'wait, stop' Retzlaff forced himself on her, according to the suit, and put his hands around her neck and then raped her. Retzlaff has denied the allegations. The California native took over the starting job last season and threw 2,947 yards for 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
New York Post
22-05-2025
- New York Post
BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff accused of rape, strangulation in new bombshell lawsuit
A woman from Utah alleges that BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff raped, strangled and bit her during an incident in November 2023, and that police were uncooperative. A lawsuit filed Wednesday in Utah state court alleges that Provo police encouraged the alleged victim not to do anything, as they claimed, 'sexual assault victims never get justice.' Prove police disputed that statement in a press release. Advertisement 5 Jake Retzlaff of BYU has been accused of rape from an incident in November 2023. Getty Images The woman is identified as Jane Doe A.G. in the lawsuit, as detailed by ESPN. 'A year and half after the rape and strangulation, Jane Doe A.G. continues to experience extreme post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma symptoms as she works to process what happened and move on,' the lawsuit states. Retzlaff's attorney, Mark Baute, claimed his client is 'factually innocent' in a statement. Advertisement 'We look forward to proving that innocence,' Baute said. 'Jake's focus this year will be on football. We don't try cases in the media, we will respect the process and establish Jake's innocence through the judicial system.' It's detailed in the lawsuit that the woman and the rising senior quarterback connected on social media in October 2023 and exchanged messages before Retzlaff invited the woman to his home on or near Nov. 22. The woman arrived with a friend, who eventually left, and the two then began watching a movie together before things allegedly started to escalate. Advertisement 5 BYU Quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) at the NCAA Valero Alamo Bowl against Colorado at the Alamodome. Mario Cantu/CSM / Shutterstock 'At some point they began to kiss, but Jane Doe A.G. did not want to do anything more,' the lawsuit states. 'Retzlaff began escalating the situation … and Jane Doe A.G. tried to de-escalate the situation and attempted to slow things down, trying to pull away, and saying 'wait.' She did not want to do anything sexual with him.' The woman pleaded 'no' and 'wait, stop' with Retzlaff, according to the lawsuit, and in an attempt to leave, Retzlaff allegedly put his hands around the woman's neck and proceeded to rape her. 'It hurt so bad and caused so much pain that Jane Doe A.G. passed out,' the lawsuit states. 'Jane Doe A.G. remembers tears rolling down her face as she fought to breathe.' Advertisement 5 Retzlaff during a bowl game against Colorado in 2024. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The woman allegedly utilized a rape kit at a hospital, where pictures were taken of her injuries. Upon initially connecting with Provo police, she did not share Retzlaff's name. It wasn't until later when officials asked for the name, as someone else filed a complaint against a football player, the lawsuit says. 'At that point Jane Doe A.G. shared Retzlaff's name, and the Provo police then encouraged her not to do anything because, as they claimed, 'sexual assault victims never get justice,' the lawsuit claims. 5 BYU QB Jake Retzlaff before a Nov. 30, 2024 game. Getty Images The Provo Police Department released a statement Wednesday denying that it discouraged the alleged victim from proceeding. 'From everything we have reviewed, this is not true,' the statement says. 'We have a team of dedicated investigators and victim advocates whose sole mission is to provide justice to victims of sexual abuse. They do not send people away, warning them there is no justice for victims.' Advertisement The statement from the police department said the lawsuit's allegations provide a 'similar account' to a Nov. 27, 2023 call it received from a woman who went by the initials A.G., which allowed the department to 'identify a possible correlating case report.' Provo police said the woman who phoned them on Nov. 27 was 'given several opportunities to identify her abuser' but she did not do so, leading to the the case being closed. The department deemed there was 'no actionable investigative leads' after reviewing 'collected evidence.' 5 Jake Retzlaff (12) of the BYU Cougars in action at the NCAA Valero Alamo Bowl against the Colorado Buffalos at the Alamodome. San Antonio, Texas. Mario Cantu/CSM / Shutterstock Advertisement 'Our victim advocates followed up several times to offer services but received no response,' the statement says. 'Because the civil suit does not identify the victim, we cannot be certain our police report is the same incident referenced by the plaintiff, but it does seem likely given the information we have.' BYU acknowledged it's aware of the lawsuit in a statement Wednesday. 'The university takes any allegation very seriously, following all processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX,' the school said. 'Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment.' Advertisement Retzlaff took over as BYU's starting quarterback in 2024 after making four starts in the previous season, during which the alleged incident took place. Across 13 games, he threw 2,947 yards for 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He arrived at BYU from Riverside City College in Southern California.
