NFL drops the hammer on Falcons after awful prank involving Shedeur Sanders during the draft
The NFL has decided on the situation involving the Atlanta Falcons and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich regarding the prank phone call made to Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft. Multiple sources report that the Falcons were fined $250,000, while Ulbrich was fined $100,000 due to Sanders' phone number being leaked. Atlanta released a statement […]
The NFL has decided on the situation involving the Atlanta Falcons and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich regarding the prank phone call made to Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Multiple sources report that the Falcons were fined $250,000, while Ulbrich was fined $100,000 due to Sanders' phone number being leaked.
Atlanta released a statement after they received the fine.
“We appreciate the NFL’s swift and thorough review of last week’s data exposure and the event that transpired due to it. We were proactive in addressing the situation internally and cooperated fully with the league throughout the process, and accept the discipline levied to Coach Jeff Ulbrich and the organization. We are confident in our security policies and practices and will continue to emphasize adherence to them with our staff whether on or off premises. Additionally, the Ulbrich family is working with the organization to partipate in community service initiatives in relation to last week’s matter,” they said in the statement.
The prank call was made by Ulbrich’s son, Jax, who took the number off his father's iPad. Jax apologized afterwards, and the Falcons also released a statement on the incident.
"On Friday night I made a tremendous mistake. Shedeur, what I did was completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful. I'm so sorry I took away from your moment, it was selfish and childish. I could never imagine getting ready to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life and I made a terrible mistakes and messed with that moment. Thank you for accepting my call earlier today, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me," Jax said in an Instagram post.
The Falcons also took responsibility for the situation when it first became public.
"Earlier in the week, Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, unintentially came across the draft contact phone number for Shedeur Sanders off an open iPad while visiting his parent's home and wrote the number down to later conduct a prank call. Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of the data exposure or any facets of the prank and was made aware of the above only after the fact.
The Atlanta Falcons do not condone this behavior and send our sincere apologies to Shedeur Sanders and his family, who we have been in contact with to apologize to, as well as facilitate an apology directly from Jax to the Sanders family.
We have also been in contact with the NFL and will continue to cooperate fully with any inquiries we may receive from the NFL league office.
We are thoroughly reviewing all protocals, and updating if necessary, to help prevent an incidient like this from happening again," the team said in a statement on April 27.
Along with Sanders, Mason Graham, Tyler Warren, Kyle McCord and Chase Lundt, Josh Conerly Jr, and Isaiah Bond all reportedly also received prank calls during the draft
