Jax Ulbrich Apologizes for Misleading Call to Colorado Quarterback, Prompting Atlanta Falcons to Issue Statement

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons have issued a formal apology after Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, prank-called Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft, falsely claiming to be New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis. The incident, which occurred on Friday, April 25, during the second night of the draft, added a bizarre twist to Sanders’ already dramatic slide from a projected first-round pick to a fifth-round selection by the Cleveland Browns.

According to a statement released by the Falcons on Sunday, Jax Ulbrich accessed Sanders’ contact information from an open iPad at his parents’ home, where Jeff Ulbrich had draft-related materials. The younger Ulbrich wrote down Sanders’ number, which was intended solely for NFL personnel, and later orchestrated the prank call alongside an unidentified friend who made the call. The Falcons emphasized that Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of his son’s actions until after the incident came to light.

The prank call, captured on a live stream by Well Off Media, a YouTube channel run by Shedeur’s brother Deion Sanders Jr., showed a confused Sanders reacting to the false claim that the Saints were about to draft him with their 40th pick. Moments later, the Saints selected Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough, leaving Sanders and his family, including Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, to realize they had been deceived. Deion Sanders, who spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Falcons, could be seen shaking his head in disbelief on the stream.

“The Atlanta Falcons do not condone this behavior and send our sincere apologies to Shedeur Sanders and his family, who we have been in contact with to apologize to, as well as facilitate an apology directly from Jax to the Sanders family,” the Falcons’ statement read. The team also noted that they are reviewing internal protocols to prevent similar incidents and are cooperating with an NFL investigation into this and other reported prank calls to draft prospects.

Jax Ulbrich took to Instagram on Sunday to issue a public apology, writing, “I made a terrible mistake and messed with that moment. I’m truly sorry to Shedeur and his family.” He also reportedly apologized directly to Sanders. The Falcons have confirmed that no disciplinary action will be taken against Jeff Ulbrich, who returned to Atlanta this offseason after serving as the New York Jets’ interim head coach in 2024.

Shedeur Sanders, speaking to Cleveland media after his fifth-round selection, downplayed the prank’s impact. “It didn’t really have an effect on me because I don’t feed into negativity,” Sanders said, referencing the video evidence of his composed reaction. “It is what it is.”

The incident has drawn significant attention, with posts on X reflecting mixed sentiments. Some users called for consequences for Jax Ulbrich, while others viewed the prank as a youthful misstep. The NFL’s ongoing investigation may shed light on whether other draft hopefuls were targeted with similar calls, as reported by CNN.

For Sanders, the prank was a footnote in a challenging draft weekend that saw him fall to the 144th overall pick despite earlier projections as a top prospect. Now with the Browns, the son of “Coach Prime” is focused on proving himself on the field, leaving the Atlanta prank call as a strange chapter in his journey to the NFL.