In a significant disciplinary action, the NFL has fined the Atlanta Falcons $250,000 and their defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, $100,000. The penalties stem from a prank call made to quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft. The call was orchestrated by Ulbrich’s 21-year-old son, Jax Ulbrich, who impersonated New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis. The prank misled Sanders into believing he was about to be drafted by the Saints.
The incident occurred when Jax accessed Sanders’ contact information from his father’s iPad at home. He and a friend then placed the call while Sanders was on a live stream. The caller told Sanders, “You’re going to have to wait a little longer, man, sorry about that,” before hanging up. This moment was captured on video and quickly went viral.
Shedeur Sanders’ Draft Experience
Sanders, initially projected as a first-round pick, ultimately fell to the fifth round, being selected by the Cleveland Browns at pick No. 144. Despite the prank, Sanders downplayed the incident, stating it was “childish” but not impactful.
The NFL’s investigation concluded that, although Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of his son’s actions at the time, he failed to secure confidential draft information adequately. The league emphasized the importance of safeguarding sensitive data, especially during high-profile events like the draft.
In response to the incident, the Falcons issued a statement: “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.”
Jax Ulbrich publicly apologized, saying, “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.”
The Falcons have announced plans to implement stricter data security measures and will engage in community service initiatives involving the Ulbrich family. The NFL continues to investigate similar incidents involving other draft prospects to prevent future occurrences.