Prank gone wrong: NFL fines Atlanta Falcons $250K, Jeff Ulbrich $100K after prank call to Shedeur Sanders

The 2025 NFL Draft delivered plenty of surprises, but none as bizarre or controversial as what unfolded with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Once projected as a top-tier prospect, Sanders saw his stock tumble to the fifth round. But the bigger shock came when a prank call falsely posing as a draft selection turned his wait into a viral fiasco. A heavy-handed response from the NFL that’s now sparking fierce debate across the league.


While Sanders waited for the most important call of his career, he picked up what he believed was his NFL moment. Instead, it was a fake, a prank reportedly orchestrated by Jax Ulbrich, the son of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The call quickly gained traction on social media, turning a highly personal moment into public mockery.
The NFL didn’t take the incident lightly. As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the league fined the Atlanta Falcons $250,000 and issued a separate $100,000 fine to Jeff Ulbrich for “failing to prevent the disclosure of confidential information distributed to the club in advance of the NFL Draft.”
Though Jax Ulbrich holds no official position with the team, the league’s punishment was swift and symbolic, meant to reinforce the seriousness of draft integrity.

The situation begs a bigger question: did the prank play a role in Sanders’ dramatic draft slide? The Cleveland Browns took Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel in the third round before selecting Sanders in the fifth, an unusual move that has fueled speculation about whether teams were wary of the noise surrounding Sanders in real time.
Critics are split. Some believe the NFL overreached by punishing a coach for the actions of a non-employee, suggesting the league acted out of PR panic rather than principle. Others applaud the league’s firm stance, arguing the prank crossed a line and jeopardized a player’s future.
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For Shedeur Sanders, a day that should’ve marked the start of his NFL dream became a headline-grabbing circus. And for the NFL, it’s a reminder that in the age of viral moments and social media chaos, protecting the league’s image may come with a steep cost.