ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons have been fined $250,000 and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been fined $100,000 as a result of his son participating in a prank call to Shedeur Sanders during the NFL draft last week.
The NFL confirmed the fines Wednesday for the roles the Falcons and Ulbrich played in failing to prevent the disclosure of confidential information distributed to the team ahead of the three-day draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Falcons on Sunday disclosed the role of Ulbrich’s 21-year-old son in Friday’s prank call to Sanders — a former University of Colorado quarterback and the son of Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback who began his NFL career with the Falcons — as he was waiting for his name to be called in the draft.
The Falcons said Wednesday that they accept the discipline from the league. At a news conference, Jeff Ulbrich apologized to Sanders — who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round Saturday — his family, Falcons owner Arthur Blank and the rest of the organization.
“My actions — my actions — of not protecting confidential data were inexcusable,” Ulbrich said. “My son’s actions were absolutely inexcusable, and for that we are both deeply sorry. The NFL has taken action, and I fully respect the punishment. We take full responsibility, my son and myself, and we will not be appealing the fine in any way. Going forward, I promise my son and I will work hard to demonstrate we are better than this.”