FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich mentioned he by no means felt as if his job was in jeopardy after the leak of Shedeur Sanders’ telephone quantity and subsequent prank name from Ulbrich’s son through the NFL draft final month.
“In all honesty, I by no means went there, however I felt nothing however help from the group in each single manner — from the those who labored the road within the cafeteria to [owner Arthur Blank] himself, all of them,” Ulbrich mentioned Wednesday. “I felt nice help from him. It was one of many largest causes, in all honesty, that I got here again right here, due to the group and what I consider this constructing.”
Ulbrich spent six years with the Falcons from 2015 to 2020, ascending to interim defensive coordinator. He has been again in Atlanta since January, introduced aboard after the firing of Jimmy Lake after only one season. Ulbrich beforehand was the interim head coach and defensive coordinator of the New York Jets.
Final month, Ulbrich could not have been extra excited in regards to the Falcons’ defensive haul within the draft, together with two move rushers — Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. — within the first spherical. Just a few hours later, the temper actually shifted when Ulbrich came upon his 21-year-old son, Jax, had been the one to prank-call Sanders. In keeping with a Falcons assertion, Jax copied down Sanders’ quantity from his father’s open iPad throughout a go to house from school with the intent to hold out a prank.
The NFL fined the Falcons $250,000 and Ulbrich himself $100,000. The Falcons didn’t levy any punishment. Ulbrich mentioned intrafamily self-discipline on Jax has but to be determined.
“We’re nonetheless working by way of that, nevertheless it was a problem for our household,” Ulbrich mentioned. “Nevertheless it’s a problem that everybody in our household’s up for. And like I mentioned, it may make my son higher due to it. He’ll.”
As Sanders continued to attend for his title to be known as on Day 2 of the draft April 25, 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 decide, man, however you are going to have to attend a bit of bit longer, man. Sorry about that.”
A confused Sanders requested the gang gathered for his draft celebration, “What does that imply?”
Jax Ulbrich wrote in an Instagram put up April 27 that what he did was “fully inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful.” He mentioned Sanders had accepted his apology name earlier that day.
Sanders, who had been extensively anticipated to be chosen within the first spherical earlier than the NFL draft began, needed to wait till Day 3 of the draft for his slide to finish, when the Cleveland Browns traded as much as decide him within the fifth spherical.
Jeff Ulbrich had beforehand given a public apology at a information convention April 30, calling his son’s actions “completely inexcusable” and his personal not defending confidential knowledge as additionally “inexcusable.”
Ulbrich mentioned he was “shocked” when he came upon the information. The NFL mentioned the fines had been for “failing to stop the disclosure of confidential data distributed to the membership upfront of the NFL draft.” Ulbrich mentioned neither he nor the Falcons can be interesting the high-quality.
“I imply, it was a curler coaster of feelings,” Ulbrich mentioned of draft weekend. “It was nice pleasure and elation, and so uncommon within the draft that issues fall to you in that manner. … After which clearly we had some challenges from a soccer perspective and from a constructing perspective and, for me, from a private perspective and for my household. Nevertheless it’s all of the issues that I am satisfied that make you stronger. I do. And I stay by that and my household lives by that. And due to that, we’ll be higher off due to all this.”
