Falcons’ Defensive Coordinator’s Son Apologizes for NFL Draft Prank Call to Shedeur Sanders

The Atlanta Falcons have disclosed that the son of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was responsible for a prank call directed at Shedeur Sanders, son of NFL legend Deion Sanders.

In an official statement, the Falcons explained that 21-year-old Jax Ulbrich “unintentionally” found Shedeur Sanders’ draft contact information displayed on an open iPad at his parents’ home. He subsequently wrote down the number with the intention of making a prank call.

“Earlier this week, Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, inadvertently encountered Shedeur Sanders’ draft contact phone number on an open iPad at his parents’ residence,” the Falcons’ statement clarified. “Jax recorded the number and later proceeded to execute a prank call. Jeff Ulbrich had no prior knowledge of this incident and was informed only after the event occurred.”

The Falcons emphasized that they “do not condone this behavior” and offered their “sincere apologies” to Shedeur Sanders and his family.

Addressing the incident via Instagram, Jax Ulbrich acknowledged that he made a “tremendous mistake,” describing his actions as “completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful.”

“On Friday night, I made a tremendous mistake,” Jax wrote. “Shedeur, what I did was entirely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful. I deeply regret detracting from your special moment; it was selfish and childish. I can hardly imagine how it must have felt preparing to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life, only for me to interfere so thoughtlessly. Thank you for accepting my call earlier today—I sincerely hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

This response followed a video widely circulated on social media, where a caller, later identified as Jax Ulbrich, pretended to be Mickey Loomis, general manager of the New Orleans Saints. In the video, the caller told Shedeur Sanders that the Saints intended to select him in the draft, but he would “have to wait a little longer.”

Ultimately, Shedeur Sanders, initially projected as a potential early-round pick, was drafted in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns, making him the second quarterback selected by the team in this year’s draft after Dillon Gabriel was taken in the third round.

The incident sparked critical comments from notable public figures, including former President Donald Trump and former Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), who expressed their disapproval regarding Shedeur’s unexpected fall from the early rounds of the draft.