BYU's breakout Jewish quarterback Jake Retzlaff is taking his talents from the football field to the Passover table. The 21-year-old star has just landed a groundbreaking sponsorship deal with Manischewitz, marking the iconic Jewish food brand's first-ever venture into sports partnerships.
Picture this: a Jewish quarterback at a Mormon university, wearing a Star of David necklace, now gracing boxes of matzah. It's a story that could only happen in America – and at BYU, where Retzlaff is one of just three Jewish students on campus.
"Manischewitz has always been part of my life," says Retzlaff, who grew up munching on matzah with peanut butter in his Reform Jewish household in Pomona, California. "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."
"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."
The deal, which runs from Hanukkah through Passover, includes limited-edition matzah boxes featuring Retzlaff's image. Fans can also look forward to social media content showing the quarterback sharing his favorite Jewish recipes and holiday traditions.
It's been quite a season for Retzlaff, nicknamed "BY-Jew" by fans. He's thrown 20 touchdowns while leading BYU to a impressive 10-2 record in the Big-12 Conference and a top-25 national ranking. Off the field, he's become something of a local Jewish celebrity in Provo, Utah, wrapping tefillin in the stadium and leading the city's first public Hanukkah menorah lighting.
The deal was masterminded by Jewish comedian Eitan Levine, who saw the perfect shidduch between the brand and the athlete. "First of all, Manischewitz is Jewish, Jewish is Manischewitz," Levine said. "Food is one of the biggest parts of Judaism. When you think of Manischewitz, I immediately think of Jewish culture."
"We are so proud to welcome Jake officially into the Manischewitz family this holiday season," says Shani Seidman, chief marketing officer of Kayco, Manischewitz's parent company. "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."
The partnership, made possible through the NCAA's Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) initiative, puts Retzlaff in elite company. While the financial terms remain under wraps, he joins the ranks of Jewish sports icons like Sandy Koufax who've merged athletics with cultural pride through endorsements.
Wishing a hearty Mazal Tov to the first ever Matzah Mascot.
JTA contributed to this article.
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