On Friday, BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff addressed recent allegations placed on him in a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault of a woman, which could undoubtedly put his status as the Cougars starting quarterback in jeopardy.
According to the lawsuit from the woman, which was obtained by ESPN, the woman shared how she and Retzlaff played video games on or around Nov. 22, 2023. Then, later in the night, Retzlaff and the woman began watching a movie alone once others at his apartment left.
Ultimately, the two would start to kiss, with the unnamed woman allegedly telling Retzlaff that she did not want to do any more than just kiss. According to her, Retzlaff continued to force himself on her. After she tried to get up out of the bed, the lawsuit alleges that Retzlaff put his hands around her neck and proceeded to rape her.
Days later, the woman visited the hospital, where a rape kit was performed and pictures of her injuries were taken, though Retzlaff’s name was not mentioned to authorities initially.
The lawsuit in the Third Judicial District Court in Utah filed Friday. And it didn’t take Retzlaff’s lawyer long to respond publicly, denying the accusations against his client in a statement the same day.
“Mr. Retzlaff specifically and categorically denies each and every and all allegations that he bit, raped or strangled [the woman],” Retzlaff’s lawyer wrote in his statement, Which are ridiculous and bizarre allegations, all of which are false and untrue.”
Additionally, the statement from Retzlaff’s lawyer further detailed how, according to his client, the two had consensual sex at Retzlaff’s apartment in November 2023. Months later, the two would have a lighthearted text messages exchanges into February 2024, speaking to his potential innocence.
Ultimately, Retzlaff is of the opinion that the lawsuit from the unnamed woman is ” an extortion attempt” due to Retzlaff’s status as a potential NFL prospect.
Obviously, first and foremost, hopefully Retzlaff faces the full extent of the law should he ultimately be found guilty of these allegations. But whether they are true or not, this incident damages his reputation at BYU greatly.
The school has a strict honor code that prohibits any admission of consensual premarital sex, which would constitute a violation of said honor code. The school website lists the range of punishments for any student that has admittedly engaged in premarital sex, which get as severe a potential expulsion from the school.
Based on this, it sure seems clear that Retzlaff may very well not be starting at BYU this coming season, which would seemingly hinder their football team in a huge way considering Retzlaff led BYU to an 11-2 record this past season, finishing third in the Big 12.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.