NFL Penalizes Player for Post-Touchdown Muslim Prayer, Changes Mind

The NFL penalized Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah in Monday night’s thoroughly enjoyable stomping of the New England Patriots for “unsportsmanlike conduct,” when he knelt in the end zone after a pick-six. Here, have a gif (pronounced jif) via Sports Nation:

Abdullah is a practicing Muslim, and the gesture was almost certainly a Muslim prayer. The NFL generally makes exceptions for shows of religious praise (rhymes with E-bow), and sure enough the league quickly reversed course after the game:

Abdullah should not have been penalized. Officiating mechanic is not to flag player who goes to ground for religious reasons.

— Michael Signora (@NFLfootballinfo) September 30, 2014

[Image via screengrab]

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