Husain Abdullah should not have received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty after dropping to his knees and bowing in prayer following a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown during the Kansas City Chiefs’ 41-14 victory over the New England Patriots on Monday night, the NFL said Tuesday.
According to Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 (d), “Players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground.”
“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,” NFL spokesman Michael Signora said.
After Monday’s game, Abdullah told reporters that he thought the referees were flagging him for the slide, not prostrating in sajdah — a common Muslim practice.
“For me, I just got a little too excited,” Abdullah said, according to the Kansas City Star. “I think it was for the slide.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledged as much when Abdullah came to the sideline after his pick-six gave Kansas City a 41-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty touched off a firestorm of controversy on social media, with many wondering how it was different from players dropping to one knee in Christian prayer.
Information from Espn.com and The Associated Press contributed to this report.