Retzlaff is the first athlete to reach a deal with the iconic Jewish food brand.After a historic football season at BYU, Jake Retzlaff’s latest honor places him in the company of Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali: having his face grace an iconic box of food.Retzlaff, the star quarterback at Brigham Young University, has nabbed a sponsorship deal with Manischewitz, the Jewish food company’s first-ever sports deal. The deal includes special-edition boxes of Manischewitz matzah emblazoned with Retzlaff’s likeness.Retzlaff, 21, who grew up attending a Reform synagogue in Pomona, California, is BYU’s first Jewish starting quarterback and one of only three Jewish students at the Mormon flagship in Utah. His story has resonated with fans, Jewish and not, both because of his athletic prowess — he threw 20 touchdowns as he led BYU to a 10-2 record in the Big-12 Conference and a top-25 national ranking — and because of his public embrace of his Jewish identity. Retzlaff wears a Star of David necklace around campus and has taken on the nickname “BY-Jew.”Retzlaff’s sponsorship was negotiated through a three-year-old NCAA initiative — called “Name, Image, Likeness,” or NIL — that allows college athletes to profit from their personal brands. It will include a limited run of Retzlaff matzah boxes that won’t be available in stores but will be distributed in a giveaway, as well as social media and video content including Retzlaff and showcasing recipes and holiday traditions. An announcement video features Retzlaff eating and signing sheets of matzah and talking about his Jewish upbringing.Manischewitz declined to share how much it is paying Retzlaff for the deal, which runs from Hanukkah through Passover. (A Washington Post investigation found that many athletes and universities do not reveal specifics of NIL deals.)“Manischewitz has always been part of my life,” Retzlaff said in a press release. “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.”He continued: “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.”In its announcement, Manischewitz, the instantly recognizable kosher food brand founded in Cincinnati in 1888 and known especially for its matzah, highlighted Retzlaff’s involvement in the local Jewish community in Provo, Utah — where BYU is located and where he has wrapped tefillin in the school’s stadium and led the city’s first public Hanukkah menorah lighting. (Last year, the county whose seat is in Provo played an unlikely role influencing Israeli domestic politics.)“We are so proud to welcome Jake officially into the Manischewitz family this holiday season,” Shani Seidman, the chief marketing officer of Kayco, Manischewitz’s parent company, said in the release. “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.”Retzlaff’s agreement with Manischewitz follows in the footsteps of — who else? — baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who in 1962 invested in a Los Angeles motel that renamed itself “Sandy Koufax’s Tropicana Motel.” In the decades since, Jewish athletes have struck sponsorship deals big and small, from MLB draftee Elie Kligman’s yarmulke brand deal to WNBA legend Sue Bird’s long-running endorsement deals with Nike and American Express.Retzlaff’s NIL deal was the brainchild of Jewish comedian Eitan Levine, who had been working with Manischewitz on other content projects and pitched the idea to each side. Levine, who makes Jewish sports videos for his own social media profiles, had produced Instagram reels about both Manischewitz and Retzlaff, the latter of which he said received over a million views across platforms.Levine said connecting Manischewitz and Retzlaff felt like the perfect pairing — almost like a shidduch, the Hebrew word for a romantic match.“First of all, Manischewitz is Jewish, Jewish is Manischewitz,” Levine said in an interview. “Food is one of the biggest parts of Judaism, arguably bigger than the Torah itself. When you think of Manischewitz, I immediately think of Jewish culture.”As for Retzlaff, Levine said, the quarterback not only has an “absolutely incredible” story, but he has been shattering Jewish stereotypes along the way.“I think that he does such a good job at representing Judaism and representing just the positive side of our community,” Levine said. “There’s not a lot of Jewish football players out there. He’s a DI, 10-win school that’s going to be going to a bowl game. And he’s very proudly and prominently Jewish.”Levine said he went to Provo to film content with Manischewitz and could immediately tell how much BYU fans have embraced Retzlaff, who did not respond to a request for comment, and his story. And as a graduate of Yeshiva University, Levine said he could feel the similarities between the Orthodox Jewish flagship and the Mormon school.“I was walking around that campus, and there’s very similar energy,” Levine said. “There is an immediate understanding, or just like a comfortability, between these two groups.”And at the end of the day, Levine said, Retzlaff’s NIL deal provides a feel-good Jewish story at a time when the Jewish community has been hurting.“This past year has not exactly been great,” Levine said. “Antisemitism has been spiking to insane degrees. And a lot of the stories that come out about the Jewish community — they’re so few and far between — are they positive? This is a purely positive story, being able to merge Manischewitz, which is a purely positive Jewish brand — no one hates Jewish food — and merging that with Jake, which is a purely positive Jewish story, it just makes complete sense.”

BYU's Star Jewish Quarterback Jake Retzlaff Secures Sponsorship Agreement with Manischewitz

Retzlaff marks a landmark collaboration with the legendary Jewish food company. Following an exceptional football season at BYU, Jake Retzlaff’s new achievement aligns him with icons like Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali: featuring his image on a celebrated food box. Retzlaff, the standout quarterback at Brigham Young University, secured a sponsorship with Manischewitz, the Jewish […]

Retzlaff marks a landmark collaboration with the legendary Jewish food company.

Following an exceptional football season at BYU, Jake Retzlaff’s new achievement aligns him with icons like Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali: featuring his image on a celebrated food box.

Retzlaff, the standout quarterback at Brigham Young University, secured a sponsorship with Manischewitz, the Jewish food brand’s inaugural foray into sports endorsements. This deal features special-edition Manischewitz matzah boxes adorned with Retzlaff’s image.

At 21, Retzlaff, who was raised in a Reform synagogue in Pomona, California, stands as BYU’s first Jewish starting quarterback and among just three Jewish students at the university. His journey has struck a chord with fans, both Jewish and non-Jewish, due to his athletic achievements — leading BYU to a 10-2 record in the Big-12 Conference with 20 touchdown passes — and his proud affirmation of his Jewish heritage. He is often seen wearing a Star of David necklace on campus and has embraced the nickname “BY-Jew.”

The agreement came through a relatively new NCAA initiative — termed “Name, Image, Likeness,” or NIL — enabling collegiate athletes to monetize their personal brands. The limited-edition Retzlaff matzah boxes will not be sold in stores but will be part of a giveaway, accompanied by social media and video content featuring Retzlaff showcasing recipes and holiday customs. An introductory video shows Retzlaff enjoying and signing sheets of matzah while discussing his Jewish upbringing.

Manischewitz chose not to disclose the financial terms of its arrangement with Retzlaff, which spans from Hanukkah to Passover. (A Washington Post investigation revealed many athletes and universities are not forthcoming about the details of NIL agreements.)

“Manischewitz has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” Retzlaff stated in a press announcement. “My childhood favorite was matzo with peanut butter, and during Passover, my family and I would make matzo pizza together. During Chanukah, we had the tradition of making potato latkes.”

He added: “Now, being at BYU, I can share these customs with my teammates. This collaboration transcends football — it’s about building connections and celebrating Jewish pride in unexpected ways.”

Manischewitz emphasized Retzlaff’s engagement in the local Jewish community of Provo, Utah—a place where BYU is based—highlighting his experiences wrapping tefillin in the stadium and leading the city’s inaugural public Hanukkah menorah lighting. (Last year, the county seat in Provo played an unexpected part in Israeli politics.)

“We are thrilled to officially welcome Jake into the Manischewitz family this holiday season,” Shani Seidman, chief marketing officer of Kayco, Manischewitz’s parent company, expressed in the statement. “He is an inspiration, and we feel privileged to support his thrilling football journey and aspirations. This partnership epitomizes our brand’s vision—celebrating our culture and highlighting Jewish food and excellence.”

Retzlaff’s collaboration with Manischewitz follows the legacy of, who else? — baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who invested in a motel in Los Angeles named “Sandy Koufax’s Tropicana Motel” in 1962. Over the years, Jewish athletes have secured various sponsorships, from MLB draftee Elie Kligman’s yarmulke endorsement to WNBA superstar Sue Bird’s extensive partnership with Nike and American Express.

The NIL deal originated from Jewish comedian Eitan Levine, who had collaborated with Manischewitz on previous content projects and proposed the partnership to both sides. Levine, known for creating Jewish sports videos for his social platforms, had previously garnered over a million views for Instagram reels featuring Manischewitz and Retzlaff.

Levine noted that the connection between Manischewitz and Retzlaff felt like an ideal match—akin to a shidduch, meaning a romantic pairing in Hebrew.

“Ultimately, Manischewitz is Jewish, and Jewish is Manischewitz,” Levine articulated in an interview. “Food plays a vital role in Jewish life, perhaps even more than the Torah. When I think of Manischewitz, it embodies Jewish culture.”

Regarding Retzlaff, Levine expressed that the quarterback not only embodies an “incredibly inspiring” narrative but also dismantles Jewish stereotypes along his journey.

“He effectively represents Judaism and the positive aspects of our community,” Levine reflected. “There aren’t many Jewish football players. He’s in a DI, 10-win institution poised for a bowl game, and he’s remarkably proud of his Jewish identity.”

Levine visited Provo to create content with Manischewitz and instantly recognized the deep appreciation BYU fans have for Retzlaff and his journey. As a Yeshiva University graduate, Levine felt a strong similarity between the two institutions, both Orthodox Jewish and Mormon.

“As I walked through the campus, there was a distinct similarity in atmosphere,” Levine noted. “There’s an immediate rapport between these two communities.”

Ultimately, Levine believes Retzlaff’s NIL deal encapsulates a heartwarming Jewish narrative during a time of distress for the Jewish community.

“This past year has been quite challenging,” Levine remarked. “Antisemitism has surged alarmingly. The narratives surrounding the Jewish community—rarely positive—are indeed scarce. This situation represents a purely uplifting story, merging Manischewitz, a wholly positive Jewish brand — nobody dislikes Jewish food — with Jake, an entirely uplifting Jewish story, which ultimately makes perfect sense.”