NFL fines Falcons $250,000 over prank call to Shedeur Sanders

In a recent incident during the NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons faced disciplinary action when it was revealed that Jeff Ulbrich's son, Jax, conducted a prank call on draft prospect Shedeur Sanders. While visiting his parents' home, Jax accidentally obtained Sanders' phone number from an open iPad. He later wrote it down for future use, which led to the call being made by a friend impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. This prank call occurred while Sanders was anxiously awaiting to be drafted, ultimately leading to significant fines imposed by the NFL. The fallout from this incident has resulted in the Falcons being fined $250,000, while defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was fined $100,000. Both fines were levied due to the organization's failure to safeguard confidential information provided before the draft. The NFL confirmed these penalties in response to the internal investigation regarding the unauthorized disclosure of Sanders' personal details. The Falcons organization acknowledged their role in the incident and expressed their commitment to improving security measures moving forward. Jax Ulbrich, who was involved in the prank, apologized publicly, stating that his actions were inexcusable and embarrassing. His apology was accompanied by a statement from the Falcons, which emphasized their cooperation with the NFL throughout the investigation and their dedication to address the issue internally. Furthermore, the Ulbrich family is working with the Falcons to engage in community service in response to this situation. This incident has raised questions about the protocols in place for protecting player information within NFL teams. As the league continues to assess various prank calls reported during the draft, it aims to ensure that similar situations do not arise in the future. The organization reassured their fans and players that they will adhere to strict security guidelines to safeguard the integrity of player data.