Outside of Atlanta, it’s unlikely you’d find anyone that knew Jeff Ulbrich’s name before Sunday evening.
The Falcons’ defensive coordinator has found himself in some unexpected hot water after his son decided to facilitate a prank call targeting then-NFL Draft prospect Shedeur Sanders by stealing the quarterback’s phone number from his father’s iPad. Now, some folks are calling on the NFL to discipline Ulbrich.
Among those who think Ulbrich should be held directly accountable is Around the Horn panelist Clinton Yates. Appearing on Monday’s show, Yates shared his opinion.
“I am actually quite disappointed that there hasn’t been some sort of disciplinary situation for the individual who left the information out.”
Clinton Yates says there needs to be some sort of consequence for Atlanta Falcons’ defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. pic.twitter.com/QKZHhRpUFk
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 28, 2025
“I am actually quite disappointed that there hasn’t been some sort of disciplinary situation for the individual who left the information out,” Yates began. “It doesn’t have to be a firing. I don’t think it’s that serious. But there has to be a consequence for doing something like this wrong, even if it was your son who did it. That’s what I understood ‘protect the shield’ to be. In this case, to not have any corrective course, is very very surprising.”
Yates’ point is valid, but let’s be realistic here. The NFL has had approximately 24 hours to investigate exactly what happened here, and also the extent to which it has happened. There have been multiple other reports suggesting Sanders was not the only recipient of a prank call during this year’s draft.
It’s important that the league assesses all of the information at its disposal before making any decisions about a punishment. That, in all likelihood, will take a bit more than one day.
However, if the league completes its investigation and decides not to hold Ulbrich accountable, that’s another story entirely.
In today’s media environment, where hot takes are dished out at the speed of light, there’s no reward for endorsing a “wait and see” approach. But realistically, that should be the prevailing sentiment here.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.