Jax Ulbrich: Football, Family, and a Draft Day Prank
The NFL Draft is a spectacle of dreams realized, hearts broken, and unexpected twists. The 2025 NFL Draft was no exception, delivering its share of drama, including an unexpected story involving Jax Ulbrich, son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. This article delves into the situation surrounding Jax Ulbrich's prank call during the draft, but also explores his athletic background and the broader context of his father's career.
The NFL Draft Prank
The 2025 NFL Draft saw Shedeur Sanders, the highly-rated quarterback from the University of Colorado and son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, surprisingly slip down the draft board. Amidst the wait, Sanders received a prank phone call from someone impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. The caller falsely claimed the Saints would pick Sanders, only to prolong the anticipation.
It was later revealed that Jax Ulbrich orchestrated the prank call. According to the Atlanta Falcons, Jax Ulbrich "unintentionally came across the draft contact phone number for Shedeur Sanders off an open iPad while visiting his parent's home and wrote the number down to later conduct a prank call."
Jax Ulbrich issued a public apology, stating, "On Friday night I made a tremendous mistake. 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… Thank you for accepting my call earlier today, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
The NFL fined the Falcons $250,000 and Jeff Ulbrich $100,000 for the incident, citing the failure to prevent the disclosure of confidential information. Jeff Ulbrich publicly apologized for "not protecting confidential data," emphasizing that his and his son's actions were "inexcusable." He also expressed gratitude to Shedeur and Deion Sanders for their graciousness in the situation.
Read also: From UCLA to NFL: Jeff Ulbrich
Jax Ulbrich's Athletic Background
While the draft prank brought Jax Ulbrich into the spotlight, he has his own athletic endeavors. He reportedly played a year of varsity football for Chatham High School during his senior year. Furthermore, Jax Ulbrich has played at least two years of Division III collegiate football for Berry College in Georgia as a running back.
Jeff Ulbrich: From Player to Coach
Jeffery Wade Ulbrich, born on February 17, 1977, has had a long and successful career in football. He played linebacker in the NFL for ten seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers, before transitioning to coaching.
Early Career
Ulbrich attended Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California, where he excelled in football and wrestling. He earned First-team All-League honors and was named team MVP in football. He then played at Gavilan College, earning first-team All-Conference honors and team MVP. Ulbrich then became a two-year starter at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, earning All-WAC first-team selection and team co-captain as a senior. He led the conference with a school-record 169 tackles his senior year.
NFL Playing Career
The San Francisco 49ers selected Ulbrich in the third round (86th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft. Over his ten seasons in the NFL, he played in 120 regular-season games, starting in 75. He recorded 501 tackles (366 solo), 32 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and 13 passes defensed.
Coaching Career
Ulbrich began his coaching career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 as a special teams assistant. He then spent three seasons at UCLA, initially as the linebackers and special teams coach, later becoming the defensive coordinator. During his time at UCLA, he coached players like Anthony Barr, Myles Jack, and Eric Kendricks, all of whom went on to have successful NFL careers.
Read also: Comprehensive Ranking: Women's College Basketball
Ulbrich joined the Atlanta Falcons in 2015, serving as the linebackers coach and later adding the title of assistant head coach. In 2020, he became the interim defensive coordinator. From 2021 to 2024, Ulbrich served as defensive coordinator for the New York Jets, even becoming interim head coach for a portion of the 2024 season after Robert Saleh was fired. In January 2025, Ulbrich returned to the Atlanta Falcons as their defensive coordinator.
During his time with the Jets, Ulbrich's defense consistently ranked among the top in the league. In the last three seasons combined, Ulbrich's defense ranked No. 1 in total defense (305.7 yards per game) and No. 1 in passing defense (183.5 yards per game). Under Ulbrich's tutelage, cornerback Sauce Gardner earned first-team All-Pro accolades and became the first cornerback since the merger to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons (2022-23).
Read also: Phoenix Suns' New Center
tags: #Jax #Ulbrich #college #career #stats
