The Prank Call Heard ‘Round the Draft

Shedeur Sanders, the former Colorado quarterback, experienced an unwelcome distraction during the NFL draft when he received a prank call from someone impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis [1], [2], [3].

The caller told Sanders: We’re going to take you with our next pick, man, but you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer, man. Sorry about that.

Sanders, visibly confused, responded to the crowd at his draft party by asking, What does that meen?

Ulbrich’s Son Takes Obligation

jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, has since admitted to making the prank call. He issued a public apology via an Instagram post on Sunday [1].

In his post, Ulbrich described his actions as completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful. He also revealed that Sanders had accepted his call earlier in the day.

I’m so sorry I took away from your moment, it was selfish and childish. I could never imagine getting ready to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life and I made a terrible mistake and messed with that moment.Thank you for accepting my call earlier today, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.
Jax Ulbrich, via Instagram

NFL Launches Investigation

The NFL is now investigating the incident, focusing on how Sanders’ private phone number was leaked.Sources indicate that Jax Ulbrich obtained the number from his father’s unlocked iPad while visiting his parents’ home [1], [2], [3].

The Atlanta Falcons released a statement acknowledging the incident and apologizing to sanders and his family.The team stated that Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of the breach and the prank call until after it occurred. The Falcons also said they would review their security protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Atlanta Falcons do not condone this behavior and send our sincere apologies to Shedeur Sanders and his family, who we have been in contact with to apologize to, as well as facilitate an apology directly from Jax to the Sanders family.
Atlanta Falcons Statement

According to sources, the Falcons will not take disciplinary action against Jeff Ulbrich.

Sanders’ Reaction and Other Prank Call Victims

Sanders,who was eventually drafted by the Cleveland browns in the fifth round,addressed the prank call in a conference call with Cleveland-area reporters. He stated that he was not substantially affected by the incident.

It didn’t really have an impact on me, because it was just like, I mean, OK, like I don’t feed into negativity or I don’t feed into that stuff. You’ve seen on Deion Jr.’s YouTube video. my reaction to it, I don’t — it is indeed what it is. I think of course it is childish. Of course, I feel like it was a childish act, but everybody does childish things here and there.

Sanders was not the only player targeted with prank calls during the draft. Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren also received a prank call before being selected in the first round. Buffalo bills offensive tackle Chase Lundt reported receiving four or five prank calls during his introductory news conference.

There were a lot of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ throughout the course of the morning, but I was able to kind of push them aside after a while and just kind of stay levelheaded through it all, Lundt said.

It remains unclear whether Jax ulbrich was involved in these other prank calls.

FAQ: Prank Call Controversy

• Q: Who made the prank call to Shedeur Sanders?
  A: Jax Ulbrich, the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, admitted to making the call.
• Q: How did Jax Ulbrich get Shedeur Sanders’ phone number?
  A: He reportedly copied it from his father’s unlocked iPad.
• Q: Is the NFL investigating the incident?
  A: Yes, the NFL is investigating how Sanders’ private number was leaked.
• Q: Will Jeff Ulbrich face any consequences?
  A: The Falcons have stated that they will not take action against Jeff Ulbrich.
• Q: How did Shedeur Sanders react to the prank call?
  A: Sanders said he wasn’t bothered by the call and considered it a childish act.