In the aftermath of the NFL’s decision to fine the Falcons $250,000 and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich $100,000 “for failing to prevent the disclosure of confidential information distributed to the club in advance of the NFL Draft,” the NFL has created the impression that the Falcons, not the league, gave Shedeur Sanders’s phone number to Ulbrich.
That is not what occurred.
The league sent the information directly to Ulbrich. Here’s what happened.
The process began with the league sending a memo on Wednesday, April 23, to all General Managers, head coaches, player personnel directors, and club IT directors with a list of 45 player phone numbers: 16 who were personally attending the draft, 24 (including Sanders) who were participating virtually, and five who were part of the 2025 International Player Pathway Program and who would be in Green Bay for the draft. The memo was marked “Confidential” at the top.
If that was the final communication that contained Sanders’s number, the notion that the Falcons created the problem by sharing the information with Ulbrich would hold water. However, the NFL sent a separate email after the “confidential” memo was distributed. The email was, for some reason, sent to all of the recipients of the NFL’s daily transaction report. That group includes all coaches and assistant coaches.
In other words, the NFL sent the email to Ulbrich. PFT has obtained the email. It does not use the word “confidential.”
The email, sent on April 23 to “All Waivers [NFL League]” said this: “Sheadeur [sic] Sanders has informed the NFL Player Personnel Department that he has a new cell phone number beginning today.” The email then identifies the new number.
Given that Ulbrich’s son reached Sanders, common sense says he used (wait for it) the new number. Which makes sense, since Ulbrich got the email that included one, and only one, number — the new number for Shedeur Sanders.
So, basically, ignore any effort by the NFL to spread the word via captive and/or favorable reporters that the Falcons deserve the blame for choosing to share confidential information with Ulbrich. Ulbrich got it straight from the league, thanks to the email that was sent to far more people than those that needed to know it.
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