UPDATED 4/30, 11:03 a.m. ET: Fines have been introduced for the Atlanta Falcons and the group’s defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich in reference to a 2025 NFL Draft prank name involving Ulbrich’s son, Jeff.
Per reviews, the group has been fined $250,000. Ulbrich, in the meantime, has been fined $100,000.
“We respect the NFL’s swift and thorough overview of final week’s information publicity and the occasion that transpired resulting from it,” a group rep stated in an announcement, as seen under. “We had been proactive in addressing the state of affairs internally and cooperated totally with the league all through the method, and settle for the self-discipline levied to Coach Jeff Ulbrich and the group.”
The rep continued, “We’re assured in our safety insurance policies and practices and can proceed to emphasise adherence to them with our workers whether or not on or off premises. Moreover, the Ulbrich household is working with the group to take part in neighborhood service initiatives in relation to final week’s matter.”
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The Atlanta Falcons and Jax Ulbrich, son of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, have apologized to Shedeur Sanders and his household relating to the prank name he obtained through the 2025 NFL Draft.
On Sunday, the Falcons launched an announcement addressing the prank name. Sanders obtained the decision after not getting picked within the first three rounds, with Ulbrich’s pal pretending to be New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis reaching out to let him know he can be heading to NOLA.
Ulbrich, whose father additionally works because the Falcons’ defensive coordinator, was integral in orchestrating the decision. Within the assertion, the group acknowledged Ulbrich’s prank and defined he acquired Sanders’s draft-specific quantity after discovering it on his dad’s “open” iPad.
“Earlier within the week, Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, unintentionally got here throughout the draft contact cellphone quantity for Shedeur Sanders off an open iPad whereas visiting his father or mother’s residence and wrote the quantity all the way down to later conduct a prank name. Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of the information publicity or any sides of the prank and was made conscious of the above solely after the very fact.”
The group added that it does not “condone” Ulbrich’s habits and apologized to the Sanders household. It additionally added that it could cooperate with the NFL relating to every other inquiries concerning the prank name and would not reprimand Jeff Ulbrich for his son’s prank. Jax additionally launched an announcement on Instagram, through which he apologized for making a “great mistake.”
“Shedeur, what i did was utterly inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful,” wrote Ulbrich. “I am so sorry that I took away out of your second, it was egocentric and infantile. I might by no means think about on the point of have a good time one of many biggest moments of your life and I made a horrible mistake and messed with that second.”
Ulbrich additionally revealed that he spoke to Shedeur and hoped he would forgive him for the prank name. Sanders was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th choose within the fifth spherical.