An embarrassing phone prank on a prominent football player during the National Football League’s draft led to a large fine against the Atlanta team and one of their coaches.
The football player draft picks were overshadowed by the drama surrounding Shedeur Sanders, the son of the former superstar athlete Deion Sanders. He was projected by some to go early in the first round, but his jubilation turned to dread as he was overlooked until the sixth round on the third day.
‘We were proactive in addressing the situation internally and cooperated fully with the league throughout the process.’
Video then surfaced on social media that showed a group of college students pranking Sanders by calling him and pretending to be the coach of the New Orleans Saints. Sanders was led to believe that he was being drafted on the second day, before they hung up and admitted the prank.
Many wondered how the students were able to obtain Sanders’ phone number on such a pivotal day.
On Wednesday, the NFL said that Jeff Ulbrich, the Falcons’ defensive coordinator, was being fined $100,000 over his involvement in the incident, and the team was fined $250,000.
The team had admitted on Sunday that Sanders’ number had been obtained by Ulbrich’s son, a 21-year-old college student, after he saw the contact information on his father’s iPad. He provided it to a friend and was seen in the background of the video of the prank.
The team responded to the fines with a brief statement.
“We appreciate the NFL’s swift and thorough review of last week’s data exposure and the event that transpired due to it,” read the statement from the Falcons. “We were proactive in addressing the situation internally and cooperated fully with the league throughout the process, and accept the discipline levied to Coach Jeff Ulbrich and the organization.”
Jax Ulbrich also publicly apologized to Sanders in a post on Instagram.
“I’m so sorry I took away from your moment, it was selfish and childish,” he wrote. “I could never imagine getting ready to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life and I made a terrible mistake and messed with that moment. Thank you for accepting my call earlier today, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Sanders was chosen 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns.
Even President Donald Trump jumped into the debate and called the owners of the NFL teams “stupid” for snubbing the player despite his “PHENOMENAL GENES.”
Sanders had been ridiculed by many online for organizing a lavish party, along with his personal branding and a ritzy handmade diamond-studded necklace in anticipation that he would be picked far earlier in the draft.
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