The NFL has fined the Atlanta Falcons and their defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich a total of $250,000 (£187,000) after a prank call incident involving Shedeur Sanders, which took place during the NFL Draft.

The prank call, made by Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of Falcons’ defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, was the result of him obtaining Sanders’ phone number from an iPad during a visit to his parents’ home. Jax later wrote down the number and used it to call Sanders, pretending to be Mickey Loomis, the general manager of the New Orleans Saints.

In the call, the prankster falsely told Sanders that the Saints were planning to pick him next in the draft, before teasing that they would make him “wait a little bit longer.” However, Sanders was ultimately selected by the Cleveland Browns as the sixth pick of the fifth round, 144th overall.

The Falcons issued an apology to Sanders, and Jeff Ulbrich was personally fined $100,000 (£75,000), with the team receiving the larger fine. The incident stemmed from a data exposure that led to the leak of confidential draft information, as reported by the NFL.

The Falcons explained that Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of the prank or the disclosure of sensitive draft information. The team also stated that they took prompt action internally and cooperated fully with the NFL during the investigation. They expressed confidence in their security protocols and vowed to reinforce the importance of these measures to their staff, both on and off the premises.

In a statement, the Falcons noted that the Ulbrich family would be engaging in community service initiatives as part of their involvement in the incident.

As for Sanders, he described the prank call as “childish” but downplayed its impact on him, saying, “It didn’t really have an impact on me.”

This prank call controversy, while causing a stir, serves as a reminder of the strict confidentiality surrounding the NFL Draft process and the consequences of mishandling sensitive information.