The NFL has ruled that Chiefs’ Husain Abdullah should not have received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty after going to his knees and bowing in prayer after scoring a touchdown Monday night.

Abdullah went to his knees in prayer following a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown off Tom Brady in Kansas City’s 41-14 victory over the New England Patriots. The penalty sparked a firestorm of media and Twitter reactions due to Abdullah being flagged for celebrating his faith. The NFL clarified that Abdullah, a devout Muslim, should not have been flagged.

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“According to Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 (d), "Players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground."

Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah is a devout Muslim who said if he ever scored a touchdown he was "going to prostrate before God in the end zone."
"However, the officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play," an NFL spokesman told ESPN.”

Abdullah took the high road after the penalty and said he believes the flag was for the slide and he lost himself in the moment. Abdullah said that he will continue the celebration every time he finds the endzone.

Abdullah played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2008 to 2011, then took a year off to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. He is in his second season with the Chiefs and has started all four games this year.

[ESPN]

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