The Atlanta Falcons must get it collectively.
For the second straight yr, their dysfunction and lack of high quality management has develop into one of many prime tales of NFL Draft weekend.
On Wednesday, the NFL introduced it has fined the Falcons group $250,000 and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich $100,000 for his or her negligence that led to a draft weekend prank name to Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Particularly, the league is penalizing Atlanta and Ulbrich for “failing to prevent the disclosure of confidential information distributed to the club in advance of the NFL Draft.”
Jax Ulbrich, 21, the coordinator’s son, took Sanders’ telephone quantity “off an open iPad while visiting his parent’s home and wrote the number down to later conduct a prank call,” the Falcons mentioned in a press release launched on Sunday.
The group mentioned Jeff Ulbrich, the Falcons’ defensive coordinator, “was unaware of the data exposure or any facets of the prank and was made aware of the above only after the fact.”
The Falcons mentioned they “do not condone this behavior and send our sincere apologies to Shedeur Sanders and his family,” including that each the group and Jax Ulbrich had or would apologize on to Sanders.
On Wednesday, the group reiterated its cooperation with the league and its understanding of the implications.
“We appreciate the NFL’s swift and thorough review of last week’s data exposure and the event that transpired due to it,” the Falcons group mentioned in a press release. “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.
“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,” the membership added. “Additionally, the Ulbrich family is working with the organization to participate in community service initiatives in relation to last week’s matter.”
The Falcons, run by GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris, have raised loads of eyebrows the previous two springs on prime of this huge error.
Final yr, Atlanta confounded the remainder of the league by drafting Michael Penix Jr. No. 8 total instantly after signing veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract.
Then on this yr’s draft, Fontenot gave up Atlanta’s 2026 first spherical choose to the L.A. Rams to maneuver up from choose No. 46 within the second spherical to No. 26 within the first spherical to pick Tennessee cross rusher James Pearce Jr.
The Falcons have picked No. 16 total or larger in yearly from 2019 on, so they could have simply armed the Rams with a premium asset to go get its subsequent franchise quarterback one yr from now.
Jax Ulbrich, the son of final season’s Jets interim head coach, and his associates prank-called Sanders throughout his slide to the NFL Draft’s fifth spherical.
Each side of the decision had been videoed individually and placed on social media.
“Hey, is this Shedeur,” Ulbrich’s pal mentioned. “This is Mickey Loomis here, the GM of the New Orleans Saints.”
“Been waiting on you,” Sanders responded.
“It’s been a long wait, man,” Ulbrich’s pal mentioned. “We’re gonna take you with our next pick right here, man.”
Sanders mentioned: “Yessir, let’s be legendary.”
Then Ulbrich’s pal mentioned: “But you’re gonna have to wait a bit longer now, sorry about that,” and he hung up and began laughing.
Sanders caught on to the trick that was being performed on him by that time, and ultimately, the NFL acted swiftly on a Falcons group that not too long ago hasn’t been in a position to get out of its personal manner.
Initially Printed: April 30, 2025 at 12:56 PM EDT
