Jeff Ulbrich’s son pulled a prank and got a pass, while Shedeur Sanders faced NFL scrutiny

OP-ED: Now that we know Jax Ulbrich is the prank caller who taunted Shedeur Sanders during Draft weekend, where is the real accountability from the Atlanta Falcons and NFL?

Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

On what should have been one of the biggest nights of his life, Shedeur Sanders answered a call he believed was from an NFL team. Instead, it was a prank, and early reports confirmed it came from Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.

Jax isn’t an NFL player. He isn’t employed by a team. Yet within 24 hours, the league’s Atlanta Falcons issued a statement saying the discovery of the phone number by Jax was “unintentional” Despite the team saying they don’t condone this behavior, there was no real accountability. Just another moment, which feeds a narrative where a young non-Black man gets brushed off as a “kid” who made a harmless mistake.

There is a real problem with that.

Shedeur Sanders, just two years older at 23, faced intense scrutiny during the pre-draft process for far less concrete actions. Rumored bad interviews, questions about his confidence, and the shadow of carrying the Sanders name all became points of criticism. Despite no public evidence supporting the concerns, the narrative against him took hold and contributed to his fall to the 144th pick and the Cleveland Browns.

Meanwhile, Johnny Manziel once admitted in his ESPN documentary that he never studied a playbook at Texas A&M. Still, leading into his draft year, Manziel’s flaws were largely overlooked, and he was celebrated as “Johnny football.” The contrast in how narratives are built, and who gets the benefit of the doubt, is hard to ignore, especially when the Manning family was celebrated for being selective about where Eli Manning could play. What is the difference when Deion Sanders tries to do the same?

Even after enduring public doubt, Shedeur was further humiliated by a prank that targeted him during one of the most important moments of his career. Jax didn’t stop there. Rumors suggest Jax may have also prank-called other players like Tyler Warren, Kyle McCord, Chase Lundt, and Isaiah Bond.

And yet, no serious consequences. Not for Jax. Not for his father, who was responsible for securing the private information that allowed these calls to happen.

To be clear, no one is calling for Jax Ulbrich to be arrested. It was a prank, not a crime.

But accountability matters and the way it is applied sends a dangerous message.

The NFL holds players like Shedeur Sanders to impossible standards based on whispers, perceptions, and assumptions. Yet when actual actions by someone connected to the league surface, they are often brushed aside as youthful mistakes by both insiders and outside fans alike.

Both Deion Sanders and Jeff Ulbrich have influence in football circles. But only one family’s reputation seems to be automatically protected without question.

Accountability would look like the Falcons disciplining Jeff Ulbrich for failing to properly secure sensitive draft information under his care. It would mean the NFL treating the breach seriously since this has happened numerous times, not just brushing it off because of personal relationships. If players are expected to be professional at all times, so should the adults who work around them.

A call for accountability is not about being overly harsh toward a 21-year-old man. It is about recognizing that dismissing behavior like this as harmless reinforces double standards and tells young athletes exactly where they stand.

In a league that claims to value professionalism, it is time for accountability to actually mean something for everyone.

Jonathan Conyers is the author of the acclaimed memoir “I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here” He is also a respiratory therapist, writer, and producer, as well as the owner and investor of several successful business ventures. Through his storytelling and work, Conyers continues to amplify underrepresented voices and create impact across industries.