The NFL has fined the Atlanta Falcons a total of $250,000 (£187,000) and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich an additional $100,000 (£75,000) after Ulbrich’s 21-year-old son, Jax, made a prank call to quarterback Shedeur Sanders during the NFL Draft.
The call, made while pretending to be New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis, misled Sanders into believing he was about to be drafted by the Saints, only to be told moments later he’d have to “wait a little longer.” The incident was recorded and shared online, drawing criticism from fans and league officials alike.
Jax reportedly obtained Sanders’ phone number from an iPad at his parents’ home. While Jeff Ulbrich claimed to be unaware of the prank or the data access, the NFL cited the team for failing to safeguard confidential information provided ahead of the draft.
Sanders, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, eventually went to the Cleveland Browns as the 144th overall pick. Though he brushed off the prank as “childish,” he acknowledged that it didn’t affect his outlook.
The Falcons issued a formal apology and pledged improvements to their data security practices. The Ulbrich family will also take part in community service initiatives related to the incident.