Because of his surname “Mordecai,” NCAA football quarterback Tanner Mordecai is often asked whether he is Jewish. However, the former SMU Mustangs athlete has been tight-lipped about his beliefs. Neither his interviews nor his social media postings allude to his religious beliefs.
Instead, the Texas native, who was born to American parents Micah and Leann Mordecai, posts images of his family and games on social media. Tanner Mordecai (born November 8, 1999) is an NCAA football quarterback for the Wisconsin Badgers under head coach Luke Fickell. He joined the transfer portal in December 2023 for his senior season at Wisconsin after previously playing for the Oklahoma Sooners (2018-20) and the SMU Mustangs (2021-22).
He played in the 2022 New Mexico Bowl for the SMU Mustangs under head coach Rhett Lashlee. However, they were defeated by the BYU Cougars by a score of 23-24. In 2021, he set a career-best with 308 pass completions on 454 attempts for 3,628 yards and 39 touchdowns.
Tanner Mordecai Religion: Is He Jewish?
So far, the American college quarterback has not discussed his faith. According to historical records, the surname “Mordecai” is Jewish. Emily Bingham’s book ‘Mordecai: An Early American Family discusses early American history and the Mordecai families’ struggle to adapt to American culture as Jews.
However, this does not necessarily imply a definitive conclusion to Tanner’s faith. His mother posts images of the family spending Christmas, standing in front of the Christmas tree, on Facebook. Taylor, his elder sister, married in a typical Christian ceremony in a church, as previously reported. Her spouse, AJ (Tanner’s brother-in-law), is a devoted Christian who is often spotted on social media wearing a cross necklace.
Because of this information, some argue that Oklahoma alum Tanner Mordecai is Christian, owing to his family’s affinity to Christmas and church. Even if the football player does not speak up about his religious views, it is clear that his dedication to religion motivates him to improve.
Tanner Mordecai’s Ethnicity: Family & Nationality
The 24-year-old football athlete was born in Waco, Texas, and is of American descent. His father’s and mother’s sides of the family are both Caucasian. However, the facts of his ancestors’ origins remain unknown. Ernest Slovak (b. February 26, 1943 – d. September 20, 2020), Tanner’s late maternal grandpa, grew raised in Crowell, Texas. His burial service was held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of the Assumption. His grandfather’s surname, “Slovak,” is said to have originated in Slovakia. His father, Micah Mordecai, a chiropractor, and mother, Leann Mordecai, a radiology technologist, have been married for 26 years, according to reports.
They married in 1998 after meeting in a hospital. Tanner is the youngest of his parents’ three children. Destinee (born November 1987) and Taylor Mordecai Roland (born April 2, 1997) are his two older sisters. Destinee attended the University of Kentucky from 2007 to 2010, where she played softball before graduating. She later earned a degree from Texas A&M in 2019. She has a kid called Liam, but no information about her husband is available.
Tanner’s second-eldest sister, Taylor, graduated from Midwestern State University in 2019. She has been married to AJ Roland, whom she met in college, since June 13, 2020. Austyn, the couple’s daughter, was born in December 2022.
