NFL fines Atlanta Falcons, defensive coordinator over son’s prank call to Shedeur Sanders

ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) - The NFL fined the Atlanta Falcons and their defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, after learning Ulbrich’s son made a prank phone call to rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft.

According to reports from the league, the team was fined $250,000 and Ulbrich was fined $100,000 for leaking Sanders’ phone number.

It was learned that Ulbrich’s son, Jax, was involved in the prank after a video went viral that showed Sanders taking a call from someone pretending to be the general manager of the New Orleans Saints, falsely telling him he was about to be picked.

Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and current University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, was projected as a first-round pick in this year’s draft, but he slipped all the way down to the fifth round after teams passed up on him.

He was eventually selected by the Cleveland Browns.

“We appreciate the NFL’s swift and thorough review of last week’s data exposure and the event that transpired due to it,” the team said in a statement. “We were proactive in addressing the situation internally and cooperate fully with the league throughout the process, and accept the discipline levied to Coach Jeff Ulbrich and the organization.”

Jax issued an apology through his Instagram story on Sunday. According to team sources, the Falcons have decided not to punish the defensive coordinator.

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