The son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich admitted to a prank name made to Shedeur Sanders throughout the NFL draft and apologized in an Instagram put up Sunday.
The NFL is trying into the state of affairs, particularly how Sanders’ non-public quantity leaked, sources instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Falcons mentioned in a press release Sunday that 21-year-old Jax Ulbrich copied it down off his father’s open iPad whereas visiting his dad and mom’ residence “to later conduct a prank name.”
As Sanders continued to attend for his title to be referred to as on Day 2 of the draft Friday, a video surfaced on social media of the previous Colorado quarterback receiving a name from somebody impersonating New Orleans Saints normal supervisor Mickey Loomis.
The caller instructed Sanders: “We will take you with our subsequent choose, man, however you are going to have to attend somewhat bit longer, man. Sorry about that.”
A confused Sanders instructed the group gathered for his draft social gathering, “What does that imply?”
Jax Ulbrich wrote in his put up that what he did was “utterly inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful.” He wrote that Sanders accepted his name earlier.
“I am so sorry I took away out of your second, it was egocentric and infantile,” Jax Ulbrich mentioned in his Instagram put up. “I may by no means think about on the brink of have a good time one of many biggest moments of your life and I made a horrible mistake and messed with that second. Thanks for accepting my name earlier at the moment, I hope you’ll find it in your coronary heart to forgive me.”
The Falcons won’t take any motion in opposition to Jeff Ulbrich, in accordance with Schefter.
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In a convention name with Cleveland-area reporters after he was drafted by the Browns within the fifth spherical Saturday, Sanders mentioned he wasn’t bothered by the prank name.
“It did not actually have an effect on me,” Sanders mentioned, “as a result of it was similar to, I imply, OK, like I do not feed into negativity or I do not feed into that stuff. You’ve got seen on Deion [Sanders] Jr.’s YouTube video. My response to it, I do not — it’s what it’s. I consider course it’s infantile. In fact, I really feel prefer it was a infantile act, however everyone does infantile issues right here and there.”
New Indianapolis Colts tight finish Tyler Warren additionally obtained a prank name earlier than he was chosen within the first spherical by Indianapolis, a league supply instructed ESPN’s Stephen Holder. Buffalo Payments sixth-round choose Chase Lundt, an offensive sort out, mentioned in his introductory information convention that he obtained “4 or 5” prank calls throughout the draft.
“There have been loads of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ all through the course of the morning, however I used to be capable of sort of push them apart after some time and simply sort of keep levelheaded via all of it,” Lundt mentioned.
It is unclear if Jax Ulbrich was behind these prank calls as nicely.
The Falcons mentioned of their assertion that Jeff Ulbrich was not conscious of the info breach, nor the prank name, till after the actual fact. The group mentioned it could overview its protocols to make sure one thing like this would possibly not occur once more.
“The Atlanta Falcons don’t condone this conduct and ship our honest apologies to Shedeur Sanders and his household, who now we have been involved with to apologize to, in addition to facilitate an apology straight from Jax to the Sanders household,” the Falcons’ assertion learn.
ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg contributed to this report.
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