It all started as a harmless joke, but Jax Ulbrich’s prank call to Shedeur Sanders during the NFL Draft quickly spiraled out of control.
Jax, the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, confessed to making the call that caught the attention of NFL fans nationwide.
The call was made to Sanders, who had been anxiously waiting for his name to be called during the draft.
Sanders, selected in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns, received the prank call from a number he had only shared with high-ranking NFL officials.
Naturally, he believed it was an official call from the New Orleans Saints.
Jax’s Apology and Statement
Once Jax realized the gravity of the situation, he took to Instagram to apologize publicly to Shedeur.
He acknowledged that his actions were “inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful,” and expressed deep regret for taking away from such an important moment in Sanders’ life.
“I could never imagine getting ready to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life and I made a terrible mistake,” Jax wrote, admitting that the prank was selfish and childish.
He ended his message with a plea for forgiveness, “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
The Falcons’ Response
The Atlanta Falcons, after hearing about the incident, quickly issued a statement.
They clarified that Jax had inadvertently gotten hold of Sanders’ draft contact information and decided to prank him.
The team made it clear that Jeff Ulbrich had no knowledge of the prank or the exposure of Sanders’ private number.
“The Falcons do not condone this behavior,” the statement read, and it went on to assure that steps were being taken to prevent something like this from happening again.
The Falcons have reached out to the Sanders family to personally apologize and facilitate Jax’s apology directly to them.
As of now, the Falcons are not expected to take action against Jeff Ulbrich.
A Long Wait for Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders had been projected to be a top draft pick, but as the draft unfolded, his name was left off the board for much longer than anticipated.
He was eventually selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round, but before that, he had to endure a series of unfortunate events.
On Friday, Sanders received the prank call, thinking it was from Mickey Loomis, the GM of the New Orleans Saints.
The prankster told him that the Saints were going to pick him, only to pull the rug out from under him and reveal it was all a joke.
The Prank Call that Went Viral
The prank call was posted online, showing a young man wearing an Ole Miss sweater speaking to Sanders on the phone.
The caller pretended to be Loomis, and after leading Sanders to believe he was about to be drafted, he cruelly told Sanders he would have to wait a little longer.
The call ended with the pranksters laughing uncontrollably, and the moment was captured on a livestream of Sanders’ draft party.
Sanders was visibly confused and disturbed, especially when he realized that the number calling him was one he had only shared with NFL teams.
Sanders’ Struggles Continue
After the prank, Sanders continued to wait in uncertainty as the draft moved into the second and third rounds, with no call coming from any teams.
He was left waiting until Saturday, when the Cleveland Browns finally selected him as the 144th pick overall.
His fall from the first round had been a surprising development, and his struggles were even noticed by public figures like former President Donald Trump, who took to social media to voice his disbelief.
Trump criticized NFL owners for not selecting Sanders earlier, calling his genes “phenomenal” and predicting great things for him in the future.
A Humbling Experience for Sanders
Despite the prank and the tense draft day, Sanders remained focused on his future.
His father, Deion Sanders, a former NFL star and current college football coach, was undoubtedly proud of his son’s resilience through the process.
As Sanders begins his career with the Cleveland Browns, it’s clear that the NFL Draft will be an experience he won’t soon forget—although for all the wrong reasons.