Chiefs' Husain Abdullah Penalized for Post-Touchdown Prayer
Husain Abdullah's fourth-quarter, 39-yard interception return for a touchdown put an exclamation point on the Kansas City Chiefs' 41-14 victory over the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football.
To celebrate the TD, the Chiefs safety got to his knees and practiced the Sajdah, a religious prayer for Muslims, for a few seconds in the end zone. NFL officials didn't like that and penalized the 29-year-old veteran and devout Muslim with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
While refs found the act as a technical violation of the league's celebration rules, former head of officiating Mike Pereira did point out last year that players are not to be penalized for going to the ground to give praise after a TD.
Abdullah left little doubt as to what the celebration was about, taking to his Instagram account after the game to say: "Subhana Rabbial-'Ala (Glory be to my Lord The Most High)."
Abdullah's agent, CJ LaBoy, added on his own Twitter account: "If the NFL tries to fine @HAbdullah39 for his TD celebration there's going to be some problems."
There hasn't been any formal league announcement regarding a possible fine, but if one were to be issued, it's easy to see how it could further add fire to an already-controversial story. The NFL never fined Tim Tebow for Tebowing, an act when he would take to one knee to celebrate and praise his Christianity.
This marks Abdullah's sixth year in the NFL. The veteran safety missed the entire 2012 season to take the holy pilgrimage to Mecca with his brother Hamza Abdullah, who played safety for seven years in the NFL.
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(Photo: Husain Abdullah via Instagram)