Falcons face heavy fines after Jeff Ulbrich's son pranks Shedeur Sanders
- Jax Ulbrich prank-called Shedeur Sanders using the player’s phone number obtained from his father Jeff Ulbrich's device.
- The NFL fined Jeff Ulbrich $100,000 and the Falcons organization $250,000 due to the incident.
- Jeff Ulbrich reported that he received full support from the Falcons organization despite the controversy surrounding his son's actions.
In a controversial incident during the lead-up to the NFL Draft in late April 2025, Jax Ulbrich, the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, prank-called Shedeur Sanders after obtaining his phone number from his father’s computer. This act occurred against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny around the draft process, where players’ futures are often intensely speculated upon. The prank involved Jax impersonating someone from the New Orleans Saints management, which not only interrupted Sanders during a critical moment in the draft but also raised serious ethical questions regarding privacy and professionalism within the sports organization. Following the incident, the NFL took decisive action, fining Jeff Ulbrich $100,000 personally and hitting the Falcons organization with a $250,000 penalty. These actions sparked discussions about accountability and the larger implications of personal actions affecting professional integrity. Despite the potential for career repercussions, Ulbrich stated that he felt supported by the Falcons’ organization throughout the ordeal, emphasizing that this support was one of the reasons he returned to the team for his second stint. In the aftermath, Ulbrich expressed his shock upon discovering that his son was behind the prank and described his son’s actions as “absolutely inexcusable.” Yet, he also acknowledged that this challenge would ultimately help shape Jax into a better person. Ulbrich has yet to finalize any disciplinary measures for his son, indicating a family approach to addressing the mistake rather than external punitive measures. Meanwhile, Sanders, who was expected to be picked earlier in the draft, experienced the fallout of the prank call but ultimately was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. The incident has already prompted discussions about player privacy, the ethical responsibilities of team staff, and the potential consequences of mishandling sensitive information. Given the robust fines imposed and the intense media coverage surrounding the incident, this event stands as a stark reminder of the individual responsibilities that athletes and team members must uphold, especially when personal actions can have repercussions beyond the family sphere and directly impact professional environments.