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Falcons react to NFL levying fine against team and DC Jeff Ulbrich
Detailed view of an Atlanta Falcons helmet. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Falcons react to NFL levying fine against team and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich

It was a terrible prank in which nobody besides the perpetrators of it were laughing at the end. As Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders eagerly awaited his name to be called in the 2025 NFL Draft, he received a prank call from a "general manager" saying that he had been selected.

Sanders was ultimately selected in Round 5 by the Cleveland Browns — and his stunning fall in the draft is a story unto itself — but in the meantime, the person behind the prank has been revealed.

As it turns out, the culprit was the 21-year-old son of new Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The Falcons confirmed earlier this week that Jax Ulbrich had "unintentionally" come across Sanders' draft phone number on an open iPad while visiting his parents. They relayed that the elder Ulbrich had no knowledge of the data breach and he only learned about his son's involvement after the fact.

The Falcons said they were reviewing their protocols to make sure something like that didn't happen again, and that seemed to be the end of the story. That is, until the NFL got involved, fining both the team ($250,000) and Ulbrich himself ($100,000).

Those may seem like heavy-handed fines for a prank, but to the NFL's point, Ulbrich, even unknowingly, allowed confidential league information to leak in a way that became extremely public.

The Falcons responded to the fines on Wednesday.

"We appreciate the NFL's swift and thorough review of last week's data exposure and the event that transpired due to it," the Falcons organization said in a statement. "We were proactive in addressing the situation internally and cooperated fully with the league throughout the process, and accept the discipline levied to Coach Jeff Ulbrich and the organization. We are confident in our security policies and practices and will continue to emphasize adherence to them with our staff whether on or off premises. Additionally, the Ulbrich family is working with the organization to participate in community service initiatives in relation to last week's matter."

Jax Ulbrich admitted to being behind the prank call and apologized to Sanders in an Instagram post. In the prank, he and a cohort had pretended to be New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis calling Sanders to let him know that he was going to be New Orleans' second round pick.

A livestream on Sanders' end captured the moment.

“Been waiting on you,” Sanders had said.

"Have to wait a little longer," the prankster responded.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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