Getting a prank phone call would often seem like a harmless annoyance for most, but the recent call made to Shedeur Sanders is being taken very seriously. The Falcons were punished by the NFL with a fine of $250,000, with the defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich being personally fined $100,000. The question on many football fans’ minds is if this punishment is going too far.
For those who are unaware of what happened, here is a summary. Jeff Ulbrich’s son, Jax Ulbrich, found his father’s iPad at their home. The device was open and contained the phone number of Shedeur Sanders, who is the quarterback for the Browns. Jax wrote down the number and later called Sanders, impersonating the Saint’s general manager and telling him that he was being drafted for the team. The prank call was traced back to Jax, who then had to answer how he came across the number.
Understandably, both Sanders and the NFL were upset at Jeff for having unprotected information and how unprofessional his son was. While the big fine seems overkill for a prank, the issue was more so about the potential danger that this oversight could have had if someone else got their hands on it. The prank itself could also be seen in bad taste, given how it was a rug-pull for a player who thought they had a chance to make the draft for the Saints. On the other hand, it seems unfair to fine the whole team for this incident, as they were not involved. The blame should be more on Jeff and Jax, as they are the ones who apologized.
Combining this incident with the Kirk Cousins debacle, the Falcons are not looking so hot financially. Hopefully, they can get their act together and reflect on their mistakes.
