Sun Jun 29 20:40:00 UTC 2025: **BYU Quarterback Jake Retzlaff Denies Rape Allegations in Lawsuit, Claims Extortion**

**Provo, Utah** – Brigham Young University (BYU) Quarterback Jake Retzlaff is vehemently denying accusations of rape, strangulation, and battery outlined in a lawsuit filed against him in May. Through his legal counsel, Retzlaff issued a response to the Third Judicial District Court in Utah on Friday, calling the allegations “ridiculous and bizarre” and “false and untrue.”

The lawsuit, filed by a woman identified as Jane Doe A.G., alleges that Retzlaff assaulted her at his apartment in November 2023 after she visited him to play video games. The suit claims that after an initial consensual kiss, Retzlaff allegedly escalated the situation, ignoring her repeated requests to stop and forcing himself on her. The lawsuit further alleges that Retzlaff strangled the woman until she lost consciousness during the assault. The woman reported to a hospital a few days later, where a rape kit was performed.

Retzlaff’s legal team contends that the encounter was consensual. Their response claims that Retzlaff and the woman engaged in consensual sex and exchanged “lighthearted” text messages in the months following the encounter. The response characterizes the lawsuit as an extortion attempt, claiming that the accusations surfaced after Retzlaff emerged as a potential NFL prospect.

BYU has issued a statement acknowledging the lawsuit and stating that it “takes any allegation very seriously, following all processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX.” Due to privacy laws, the university declined to comment further.

The case highlights a potential conflict with BYU’s Honor Code, which prohibits premarital sex. While the lawsuit alleges rape, Retzlaff’s admission of consensual premarital sex, if proven, could lead to disciplinary action ranging from a warning to expulsion. BYU has a history of suspending athletes for violating the Honor Code, including a high-profile basketball player dismissed from the team in 2011 and a football player suspended in 1999.

The case is ongoing, and further legal proceedings are expected.

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