Husain Abdullah was wrongly penalized for going to the ground during his end zone celebration on Monday after returning an interception for a touchdown.
Abdullah is Muslim, and he went to the ground to pray after picking off a Tom Brady pass and returning it 39 yards to put the Kansas City Chiefs up 41-7 on the New England Patriots. NFL rules dictate that penalties are supposed to be called when players go to the ground as part of an end zone celebration. However, there is an exemption for players who are praying.
[UPDATE: NFL releases statement on the penalty]
The referees must not have realized Abdullah was going to the ground for prayer and not for some sort of gimmick.
Given their margin of victory, the Chiefs probably weren’t too concerned, though they may have something to say to the league about it.
Abdullah’s agent says there will be problems if the league tries to fine his client.
If the NFL tries to fine @HAbdullah39 for his TD celebration there's going to be some problems.
— CJ LaBoy (@CJLaBoy) September 30, 2014
Here’s another look at it:
