Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is owning up to the viral draft day prank that sparked major backlash and a hefty fine from the NFL. Ulbrich addressed reporters Wednesday after the league hit the Falcons with a $250,000 fine and personally fined him $100,000 for failing to protect confidential draft data.
The incident stems from Ulbrich’s 21-year-old son Jax using a number retrieved from his father’s iPad to prank call quarterback Shedeur Sanders, pretending to be a member of the New Orleans Saints during the NFL Draft.
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“First of all, I’d like to publicly apologize to Shedeur and the Sanders family for what occurred,” Ulbrich said in a video shared online by Atlanta Falcons reporter Joe Patrick. “Second of all, I want to publicly apologize to Mr. Blaine, Terry Fontenot, Coach Morris, and the entire Falcons organization.”
“My actions of not protecting confidential data were inexcusable,” he continued. “My son’s actions were absolutely inexcusable. And for that, we are both deeply sorry.”
Ulbrich made it clear that he and his son called both Shedeur and Deion Sanders directly to apologize, and emphasized that they accept the league’s disciplinary action.
“We take full responsibility, my son and myself, and we will not be appealing the fine in any way,” he added. “Going forward, I promise my son and I will work hard to demonstrate we are better than this.”
The prank call added insult to injury for Sanders, who slid down the draft board before being picked up by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. The timing of the prank made it particularly cruel, sparking outrage from analysts and fans alike.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Clinton Yates previously criticized the incident, calling it reckless and damaging to both Shedeur and Ulbrich’s professional integrity.
The Falcons organization also released a statement saying it had “proactively addressed the situation internally” and would not contest the fine.
As for Jax Ulbrich, the team confirmed he is participating in community service initiatives alongside his father.
