Brigham Young quarterback Jake Retzlaff has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his home, according to a civil lawsuit filed in Utah.
The alleged victim, identified as a Salt Lake County woman, reported Retzlaff ‘raped, strangled and bit’ her, according to Third District Court documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports. She is suing Retzlaff for alleged battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Retzlaff currently does not face any criminal charges.
Mark Baute, Retzlaff’s counsel, said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports his client is a ‘nice young man’ and “factually innocent.’
“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,” Baute wrote.
“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,” BYU said in a statement.
Jake Retzlaff lawsuit details
According to the suit, the woman and a friend went to Retzlaff’s apartment in November 2023 after connecting through social media a month prior. After playing video games, the woman’s friend left and she stayed with Retzlaff to watch a movie. The two began to kiss but the woman ‘did not want to do anything more,’ per the lawsuit.
Retzlaff allegedly ‘escalated the situation’ and began to touch the woman. She told him ‘no’ and ‘stop’ as he allegedly tried to touch her and told her to give him oral sex.
‘As the situation continued to escalate, Jane Doe A.G. reacted in a way that made Retzlaff angry. He started to shout at her, and she reached for her phone to call someone, but her phone was dead,’ the lawsuit reads.
The suit states the woman plugged her phone in and laid in bed as she waited for it to charge, and Retzlaff fell asleep. She tried to leave but he allegedly woke up and pushed her back down on the bed as he tried to kiss her. The lawsuit says Retzlaff then grabbed a condom and the woman again told him to ‘stop.’ He then allegedly bit her lip and began to have sex with the woman. She said she cried during the encounter and Retzlaff caused her to pass out.
Days afterward, the woman said she went to a hospital where a rape kit was performed and photos were taken of the visible bruises and cuts she had on her body. The incident was reported to the Provo Police Department, the suit states, but she did not share the name of her alleged abuser because ‘she was scared and in shock and not ready to confront him.’
After speaking to police, an officer reached out to the woman to ask for the abuser’s name because police reportedly had another complaint against a football player and authorities wanted to know if it was the same person. After she disclosed Retzlaff’s name, an officer allegedly ‘encouraged her to not do anything, because as they claimed, ‘sexual assault victims never get justice.”
The suits alleges Retzlaff ‘acted with the intent to cause harmful and offensive’ contacts with the woman.
‘A year and a 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 suit reads.
The Provo Police Department said it has not been served a legal filing related to the suit, and records show it received a phone report in November 2023 from a woman who gave a similar account. Police said the woman was given opportunities to identify her abuser but she didn’t and the case was closed.
Provo Police also denied the claim its personnel discouraged the victim from proceeding with the case.
‘Because the civil suit does not identify the victim, we cannot be certain our police report is the same incident by the plaintiff, but it does seem likely given the information we have,’ the department said.
Who is Jake Retzlaff?
Retzlaff is entering his third year with the Cougars after transferring from Riverside City College in Southern California. Last season, Retzlaff started all 13 games for BYU as he led the team to a 9-0 start and a top-10 ranking in the coaches poll. The team finished the season 11-2, its most wins since the 2020 season.
Retzlaff is the first Jewish starting quarterback in the history of the university operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He threw for 2,947 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on the season, with an additional six rushing touchdowns.
This story has been updated with new information.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.