Falcons say defensive coordinator
Ulbrich's son was responsible for prank call to Shedeur Sanders
[April 28, 2025]
By CHARLES ODUM
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons said Sunday that defensive
coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's son was responsible for a prank call made
to NFL draft pick Shedeur Sanders.
The Falcons released a statement saying 21-year-old Jax Ulbrich
“unintentionally 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."
Though Jax Ulbrich provided the number, he was sitting beside an
unidentified friend who actually made the call to Sanders.
The Falcons said Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of the data exposure or
the prank until after the fact. They offered "sincere apologies to
Shedeur Sanders and his family” in their statement, and Jax Ulbrich
also posted a public apology on social media.
Sanders, a standout quarterback from Colorado, is the son of
Buffaloes coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who
began his NFL career with the Falcons.
Shedeur Sanders was perhaps the draft's biggest story as he had to
wait until the fifth round on Saturday before being drafted by the
Cleveland Browns. He received a prank call on Friday night, the
second day of the draft, while waiting.
In the call, Jax Ulbrich's friend identified himself as New Orleans
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and told Sanders he had been
drafted by the Saints before ending the call.
“It didn’t really have no impact on me because it was just like, OK.
I don’t feed into negativity or I don’t feed into that stuff,”
Sanders said Saturday after being drafted. “... This is what it is.
I think, of course, it’s childish, of course I feel like it was a
childish act, but everybody do childish things here and there.”
Jax Ulbrich apologized to Sanders on Sunday for what he called “a
tremendous mistake.”
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Shedeur Sanders looks on at his jersey retirement ceremony during
Colorado's NCAA college football spring game, Saturday, April 19,
2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
“Shedeur, what I did was completely inexcusable,
embarrassing and shameful,” he wrote on social media. “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 mistake and messed with that
moment. Thank you for accepting my call earlier today, I hope you
can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
The Falcons also apologized to Sanders and his family, saying they
“do not condone this behavior.”
“We are thoroughly reviewing all protocols, and updating if
necessary, to help prevent an incident like this from happening
again,” the Falcons said.
The Falcons said they have been in contact with the NFL “and will
continue to cooperate fully with any inquiries we may receive from
the NFL league office.”
Jeff Ulbrich celebrated the Falcons' emphasis on defense in the NFL
draft. The Falcons selected two edge rushers, Georgia's Jalon Walker
and Tennessee's James Pearce Jr., in the first round. Their first
four draft picks were defensive players.
Ulbrich was 3-9 as interim coach of the New York Jets last season
before being hired to return to Atlanta, where he previously worked
as an assistant.
___
AP Sports Writer Noah Trister in Washington contributed to this
report.
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