Shedeur Sanders Responds After NFL Coach’s Son Apologizes For Draft Day Prank – Essence
The road to the NFL is full of excitement, nerves—and for Shedeur Sanders, an unnecessary distraction no one saw coming.
Shedeur, who is the son of NFL legend and Colorado coach Deion Sanders, fell victim to an immature prank call during the 2025 NFL Draft, which should have been a momentous occasion for him and his family. But that moment was quickly overshadowed by Jax Ulbrich, son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
As Sanders waited to hear his name called during the draft, he received what he believed was a life-changing call from the New Orleans Saints. Surrounded by family and friends, Sanders’ answered, only for the caller (which we later learned was Ulbrich) revealed it was all a joke, telling him he’d “have to wait a little longer” before abruptly hanging up.
Jax Ulbrich has since issued a public apology for his actions.
“On Friday night I made a tremendous mistake,” Ulbrich wrote on Instagram. “Shedeur, what I did was completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful. I’m so sorry I took away from your moment, it was selfish and childish.”
The moment, captured on video by Shedeur’s brother Deion Sanders Jr. and posted to Well Off Media, shows Shedeur looking confused, asking, “What does that mean?”
Beyond the immaturity, there’s a bigger issue here. NFL draft prospects are given private phone numbers specifically for communication with league personnel during the draft. Somehow, Ulbrich gained access to this private channel, raising serious questions about draft security protocols. The Atlanta Falcons have also since apologized.
Black athletes like Sanders already face enough scrutiny. And let’s be honest—had he reacted differently, headlines would’ve been about his attitude, not the prank.
Despite being projected as a first-round talent by many analysts, Sanders unexpectedly slid in the draft, eventually being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. While this development became one of the draft’s biggest storylines, the prank call added an unnecessary layer of humiliation to an already challenging experience.
But Sanders? He took the high road.
Speaking with the media after being drafted, he didn’t let the prank define his night.
“It didn’t really have an impact on me,” he said. “I don’t feed into negativity. It is what it is. Of course, the dude was childish… but everybody does childish things here and there.”
His composure stood out. And honestly, it’s no surprise. The son of “Prime Time” knows a thing or two about handling the spotlight, and staying grounded when it matters most.
In an interview with ESSENCE just before the NFL Draft, Deion Sanders spoke about his guidance to his sons about their NFL future and how it is deeply rooted in faith. “The first thing that we talk about is you’re going to go where God wants you to go because he’s already seen the path,” Sanders says. “Where we want to go may not be the right place, but where he wants us to go is certainly the right place.”
This incident serves as a reminder of the additional hurdles Black athletes often face on their professional journeys. What should have been a pure celebration of Sanders’ hard work and achievement was instead partially overshadowed by an act of disrespect that he was then expected to graciously forgive.
