BYU Cougar Cards Tell Stories: Jake Retzlaff embodies winning and acceptance at BYU
By D.A. Sweat
I’m a lifelong collector of sports cards and specialize in rare, autographed cards of BYU players in their BYU uniforms. Instead of just keeping these cardboard treasures to myself, in this video series entitled "BYU Cougar Cards Tell Stories" I'm opening up my collection and sharing them with you.
In this edition I'm sharing my five autographed Jake Retzlaff cards along with the important stories they tell.
While I normally only buy one autographed card per player, I took a calculated risk and bought five Retzlaff cards coming off his disastrous 0-4 record as a fill-in starter in 2023. I figured he could develop during his time at BYU just like Zach Wilson and Jaren Hall before him and end up as a solid two-year starter in Provo. Fast forward a few months and Jake has led the 2024 BYU Cougars to an 8-0 record, first place in the Big 12, No. 9 national ranking, and a clear path to a conference title and anappearance in the College Football Playoffs.
The risk paid off. These cards are now selling for three or four times the amount I paid for them just a few months ago.
But the value of what these cards could sell for on eBay is dwarfed by the value of the stories they tell.
The first story these cards tell is that BYU can compete on the national level. They can win the Big 12 and be legitimate contenders for the College Football Playoffs, something few people thought Kalani Sitake's squad could prove in Year 2 in the Big 12.
Second, these cards tell the story of inclusion and acceptance at BYU. Jake Retzlaff is the only Jewish Division 1 starting quarterback, and he's doing it as a university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retzlaff has been public with his appreciation for the way he has been supported in living his Jewish faith surrounded by Latter-day Saints. The "BY-Jew" as Jake sometimes calls himself is a reminder that not only can people of different backgrounds be embraced and succeed at BYU, they can thrive.
These cards tell stories, and I hope you enjoyed this one.
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