10 hours ago
2
ESPN
Apr 27, 2025, 04:28 PM ET
The son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich admitted to being the one behind a prank call to Shedeur Sanders during Day 2 of the NFL draft, according to the Falcons and an apology posted to social media on Sunday.
Jax Ulbrich, 21, discovered Sanders' draft contact phone number off an open iPad while visiting his parents' home and wrote down the number to conduct the call, according to the Falcons. Jax Ulbrich said the call was "a tremendous mistake" in an Instagram post.
The Falcons will not take any action against Jeff Ulbrich, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, and the team is reviewing their protocols to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.
The prank came as Sanders continued to fall in the draft on Friday with a video on social media showing the quarterback receiving a call from someone impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis.
"It's been a long wait, man," the person said. "We're going to take you with our next pick, man, but you're going to have to wait a little bit longer, man. Sorry about that."
The person hung up the phone, and a confused Sanders told the crowd gathered for his draft party, "What does that mean?"
"Shedeur, what I did was completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful," Jax Ulbrich said in his Instagram post. "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 said Jeff Ulbrich was unaware that his son obtained Sanders' number and was unaware of the planned prank.
"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," the Falcons' statement read. "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 protocols, and updating if necessary, to help prevent an incident like this from happening again."
In a conference call with Cleveland-area reporters after he was drafted by the Browns in the fifth round Saturday, Sanders said he wasn't bothered by the prank call.
"It didn't really have an impact on me," Sanders said, "because it was just like, I mean, OK, like I don't feed into negativity or I don't feed into that stuff. You've seen on Deion [Sanders] Jr.'s YouTube video. My reaction to it, I don't -- it is what it is. I think of course it is childish. Of course, I feel like it was a childish act, but everybody does childish things here and there."
