The NFL has fined the Atlanta Falcons $250,000 and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich $100,000 in response to Ulbrich’s son’s prank call made to Sheduer Sanders during the NFL draft. Ulbrich’s 21-year-old son admitted to the prank call and apologized in an Instagram post Sunday. The Falcons said Sunday that Jax Ulbrich wrote down the number from his father’s open iPad while at his parents’ home “to later conduct a prank call.”
The NFL said the fines were for “failing to prevent the disclosure of confidential information distributed to the club in advance of the NFL Draft.”
The Falcons said in a statement, “We appreciate the NFL’s swift and thorough review of last week’s data exposure and the event that transpired due to it. We were proactive in addressing the situation internally and cooperated fully with the league throughout the process, and accepted 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.”
As Sanders continued to wait for his name to be called on Day 2 of the draft Friday, a video was shown on social media of him receiving a call from someone impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. 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.” A confused Sanders asked the crowd gathered for his draft party, “What does that mean?”
Jax Ulbrich wrote in his post that what he did was “completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful.” He said Sanders accepted his call earlier. Sheduer Sanders had been widely expected to be selected in the first round before the NFL draft started, but had to wait until Day 3 of the draft for his slide to end when the Cleveland Browns picked him in the fifth round.
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