Shedeur Sanders endured a brutal two days during the draft, filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and frustration. But the emotional toll of sliding down the draft board wasn’t the only challenge he faced. Amid the tension, Shedeur also became the target of an unnecessary and cruel prank. A prankster, posing as Saints GM Mickey Loomis, called him, not to deliver good news, but to cruelly inform him that he would have to wait even longer to hear his name called.
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Some investigation and internet sleuthing revealed the identity of the prankster: Jax Ulbrich. If that last name sounds familiar, it should — he’s the son of former 49ers linebacker and current Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
Following the public backlash, Jax posted a public apology on social media. He admitted that what he did was shameful and a huge mistake, expressing deep regret for ruining Shedeur’s draft moment. Jax described his actions as inexcusable and deplorable, and he revealed that he personally called Shedeur to apologize, hoping the former Buffs QB could find it in his heart to forgive him.
“On Friday night, I made a tremendous mistake. Shedeur, what I did was completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful. I’m so sorry I took away from your moment; it was selfish and childish. I could never imagine getting ready to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life, and I made a terrible mistake and messed with that moment. Thank you for accepting my call earlier today. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
To make matters worse, the Falcons released a rather weak statement addressing the situation. According to the team, Jax allegedly accessed the phone number through his father’s iPad while visiting his parents’ home. The Falcons claim Jeff Ulbrich was unaware that his son had obtained the information or that he intended to pull such a cheap stunt for online attention.
As an organization, the Falcons made it clear they do not condone this kind of behavior and apologized to Shedeur and his family. They also confirmed that they have contacted the NFL about the incident, and the league has launched an investigation.
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However, the Falcons have decided not to take any disciplinary action against Jeff Ulbrich, choosing instead to review and tighten their internal security protocols to prevent something like this from happening again.
YealmStacie, who covers hip-hop, sports, and pop culture, weighed in on the situation, harshly criticizing Jax Ulbrich. He called Jax “stupid” for pulling such an immature prank, especially while showing his full face in the video. The commentator stressed that from the moment Shedeur Sanders’s number leaked, it was obvious the prank was an inside job.
In his view, Jax’s move was a reckless and immature mistake that deserves real consequences. However, he’s facing little more than a slap on the wrist.