The NFL Draft is a life-changing, high-pressure event, and when a high-profile prospect, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, was prank-called by someone posing as an executive from the New Orleans Saints, it sparked intense, polarized debate across social media, particularly on Reddit. The conversation centered not just on the cruelty of the prank but on the alarming security failure that allowed it to happen.
Watch the video on Reddit forum https://www.reddit.com/r/sports/comments/1k8eolt/higher_quality_version_of_someone_prank_calling/
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The Incident and its Immediate Aftermath
The central event was a livestreamed phone call Sanders received from an individual claiming to represent the New Orleans Saints. The purpose of the call, delivered with a callous punchline, was to inform Sanders he would have to “wait a little longer” to be drafted. The raw video of the moment circulated quickly, capturing the immediate disappointment and confusion of Sanders and his family.
User discussions quickly moved past the moment itself and focused on two major questions:
- The Caller’s Identity: Who was behind the prank?
- The Number Leak: How did a prankster acquire a private number meant only for NFL teams?
Identity, The Leak, and NFL Involvement
The search for the prankster was a major source of user-generated “investigation” and speculation:
- The Number’s Security: It was widely reported and discussed that Sanders had acquired a new, private phone number specifically for Draft weekend, sharing it only with NFL executives. This elevated the incident from a simple joke to a security breach.
- Initial Speculation: Early discussion suggested a connection to the daughter of Giants GM Joe Schoen, who was reportedly dating an Ole Miss fraternity member. Users speculated that the number was leaked through this connection.
- Confirmed Identity and Organizational Fines: The discussion eventually landed on a more concrete conclusion: the prank caller was the son of Atlanta Falcons Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The NFL officially investigated the matter. This investigation culminated in the Atlanta Falcons being fined, establishing an organizational link to the unauthorized disclosure of a player’s private contact information. This outcome was a significant takeaway for the community, underscoring the seriousness of the violation.
The Ethical Debate: “Cruel” vs. “Just a Prank”
The discussion threads were a battleground of ethical opinions, revealing a deep split in how users viewed the act:
| Perspective | Summary of User Sentiment |
| Condemnation (The “Cruel” View) | Many users labeled the prank as “abhorrent” and “mess,” particularly due to the millions of dollars and lifetime dream at stake. NFL figures, like coach Kevin Stefanski, were quoted calling the perpetrators “morons.” This side emphasized the lack of empathy, viewing it as a moment of high-stakes harassment. |
| Defense (The “Just a Prank” View) | A significant counter-argument dismissed the reaction as overblown, labeling the prank as “mild tomfoolery.” Some comments suggested Sanders, as the son of Deion Sanders, possessed an “entitled” reputation or would ultimately be “fine” regardless of his draft position, arguing that the negative reaction was an exaggeration of a simple joke. |
Context and Historical Parallels
User discussion also provided context by connecting the prank to Sanders’ overall draft trajectory and to similar past events:
- Pre-Draft Concerns: The prank occurred while Sanders was already the subject of intense media scrutiny. User comments frequently brought up reports of poor character and attitude from pre-draft interviews, suggesting some NFL teams were already wary of his “personality and family baggage.” This fueled a darker segment of the discussion that felt the “humbling” experience was “deserved.”
- Similar Incidents: One user recalled a similar prank years prior involving wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, who was pranked by a caller pretending to be from the Cincinnati Bengals, only to be legitimately drafted by the Bengals a couple of rounds later. This offered a small, humorous historical parallel to an otherwise contentious event.