The NFL player penalised for praying

[pixy0stix]

Click through for tweets.

www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-29388150



A Muslim NFL player was penalised after celebrating a touchdown by dropping to his knees in prayer. Many on social media were not at all happy with the call.



After scoring for the Kansas City Chiefs, Husain Abdullah slid on his knees and touched his forehead on the field as a gesture of his Muslim faith. The action drew a flag from an official for breaching the game's "excessive celebration" rule.



The referee's decision quickly prompted a negative reaction from social media users.



"I'm pretty sure the Husain Abdullah just got flagged 15 yards for praying... I don't consider that to be unsportsmanlike," said one Twitter user. "So Husain Abdullah literally just got a 15 yard penalty for being Muslim?" tweeted another.



It was not apparent whether the penalty had been given for bowing in prayer or for sliding when he scored. Officials did not speak to him about it after the game. Abdullah, 29, told the Kansas City Star newspaper that his coach had informed him he had been penalised for sliding. "For me, I just got a little too excited," he said.



The following morning, NFL VP of Football Communications Michael Signora acknowledged the decision had been a mistake, tweeting that Abdullah should not have been penalised.


By that time, however, it was too late to quell the rising outrage. Much was made of Abdullah's devotion to his faith. The player had skipped the entire 2012 season to go on a Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca with his brother, another NFL player. Many tweeters drew a contrast with Tim Tebow, the Christian quarterback noted for kneeling in prayer so often that the practice has become known as "Tebowing".


And indeed Christians who had championed Tebow did the same for Abdullah.



"Fellow Christian #NFL fans, I'm gonna be real disappointed if I don't see you defending Husain Abdullah's right to pray like we did Tebow's," one tweeted.



Others were more facetious. John Fugelsang said: "I'd like to thank Husain Abdullah for proving Muslims think God really cares about football as much as Christians think it."

[ijack]

Yeah, not okay. The ref and the league needs to apologize to him.

[meshaliuknits]

It's possible they threw the flag before it was apparent he was going down in prayer since it's not the kneel point up they generally see.

I think they can *technically* flag celebratory prayer. I think the rule says you can't go to the ground in celebration. I don't think there's any distinction in what happens once you're down.

Also, suck on that Pats.

[ijack]

okay, I watched the video. I don't think they threw the flag before he prayed. If you can't go to the ground in celebration then I guess the flag is okay, but then someone should appeal that rule because other players can recognize their god without going to the ground so it's not really fair. And if they let Tebow do it when the same rule was in place, then it's really not okay they penalized him.

[meshaliuknits]

Sept 30, 2014 15:44:19 GMT -5 mockingbird said:

Also, when he scored the td it was 40-7 which is a blow out. Any celebration can be flagged at that point for unsportsmanlike. Especially when you just picked off Tom Brady and you are crushing Bellicheck. It really has nothing to do with the prayer

EVERYONE should celebrate bad things happening to the Pats.

#sorrynotsorry

[ijack]

Sept 30, 2014 15:44:19 GMT -5 mockingbird said:

This really bothered me at first, but a football fan friend made me feel a little more ready to hold judgement. I'm just gonna c&P his response to my issue with it.

Also, when he scored the td it was 40-7 which is a blow out. Any celebration can be flagged at that point for unsportsmanlike. Especially when you just picked off Tom Brady and you are crushing Bellicheck. It really has nothing to do with the prayer

He also said Tebow has been penalized for it at times.  So I'm uncomfortable, but not convicted about it.

The b/r article calls it an "unassuming" play, which I don't necessarily agree with. I mean how many times a game does he run the ball back for a TD?
looked it up, he scores about 1 TD a season so I think he should be allowed to celebrate.

[pixy0stix]

Sept 30, 2014 15:44:19 GMT -5 mockingbird said:

He also said Tebow has been penalized for it at times.  So I'm uncomfortable, but not convicted about it.

I'm like 98% certain he was never penalized for it while he was in the NFL.

[msmerymac]

Does Tebow celebrate in the end zone? I guess if he throws the ball and a receiver makes the catch and runs it in, and Tebow kneels from the 15 yard line, it's a little more away from the eyes of everyone else? That's literally the only thing I can think of - all eyes not on Tebow at that moment. Otherwise, WTF.

And I'm sorry, 40-7 is a large differential, but we're talking about professional sports, not a high school game where the score is 60-0. Individual stats count for something, so any player getting a touchdown is a moment to be happy about, for him, and also for his team. PLUS KC was the underdog in that game.

[meshaliuknits]

Regardless, the NFL has already apologized.

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[WOT?*]

mockingbird, love that video. Did you see the Snow White v. Elsa rap battle? I can't show it to the girls so I'll put it here. lol.
www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_365983&feature=iv&src_vid=40uyvImgsQ0&v=gcrQvoCzs80

[downtoearth]

Sept 30, 2014 16:13:11 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Regardless, the NFL has already apologized.

/photo/1

Now that I know the rules, If I ever score a TD on Monday night football, everybody should look for my ground celebration, eh I mean, prayer angel to cartwheel move.

[lys]

Officials have admitted they were wrong with their call.

[suzyp]

There was also allegedly an issue because he "slid" to his knees rather than stop and then go down on his knees (seriously). The penalty was stupid, no matter what. I saw this happen during the game and could not figure out wtf the penalty was for. I thought he just kissed the ground - figured he was alone when he did it so I cannot figure out what the unsportmanlike call was for (score differntial means nothing).

[iammalcolmx]

Sept 30, 2014 16:13:11 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Regardless, the NFL has already apologized.

/photo/1

Well this clears things up