Hussain Abdullah penalty for post-TD prayer

[Brian Fein]

I find it to be disgraceful that a penalty was called in last night's game.  After intercepting Tom Brady and returning it for a TD, Chiefs' safety Husain Abdullah dropped to his knees and bowed forward, as if in prayer.  He is Muslim...



In a league where everyone cheered Tim Tebow for being such a good Christian and even gave his prayer stance a viral name "Tebowing," to give this guy a 15-yard penalty for "unsportsmanlike conduct" is ludicrous.  I hope the NFL publicly apologizes and the official who called that penalty should be fined.

[Phishfan]

I think the NFL should have penalized every single player who has dropped to a knee. It's in the rule book you can't celebrate while on the ground.

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/15_Rule12_Player_Conduct.pdf

(d) Individual players involved in prolonged or excess
ive celebrations. Players are prohibited from
engaging in any celebrations while on the ground. A c
elebration shall be deemed excessive or
prolonged if a player continues to celebrate after a wa
rning from an official.

 Note 5: Violations of (d) will be penalized if the
y occur anywhere on the field other than the bench are
a.

This official followed the rule book.

[Fau Teixeira]

yep . .start penalizing christian prayer in nfl games and see how fast the NFL backtracks on that policy

[JGreenMachine]

yep . .start penalizing christian prayer in nfl games and see how fast the NFL backtracks on that policy

I think they need do away with that rule altogether.  Players should be allowed to celebrate scores in any way they choose that is not offensive.  And seeing as the Constitution guarantees Free Expression and Free Religion, penalizing him for that gesture is a violation of his constituational rights.

[Spider-Dan]

The official exception to the "cannot go to the ground during a celebration" rule is prayer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb728sTevNM

[Fau Teixeira]

And seeing as the Constitution guarantees Free Expression and Free Religion, penalizing him for that gesture is a violation of his constituational rights.

sigh .. no .. just no

[Phishfan]

sigh .. no .. just no

Beat me to it. I cannot believe how many people misinterpret the Constitution.

[Phishfan]

The official exception to the "cannot go to the ground during a celebration" rule is prayer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb728sTevNM

As for this exception, I know it exists but it isn't stated in the rules. Also, the player himself has admitted that he did more than kneel in prayer. I did not watch the play but there was also a slide on the ground involved in this prayer/celebration.

[fyo]

The NFL have come out and said it was a mistake. No flag should have been thrown:

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

https://twitter.com/NFLfootballinfo/status/516942894318383104

[Spider-Dan]

He was running and slid to a stop.



Abdullah said that (at the time) he believed he was flagged for not coming to a complete stop before prostrating, and said that he will do so in the future.  That being said, since the NFL said he should not have been flagged, the league office apparently didn't think the slide-into-prayer merited a penalty.

[Brian Fein]

Oh yeah, NFL rule book, yada yada yada

[CF DolFan]

It was a stupid penalty. With that said I love the fact people still feel Christians are getting away with things others do not.    It's almost illegal to even quote the Bible these days.

[Dolphster]

It would be interesting to see a player convert to Zion Coptic and after scoring a TD they celebrate by firing up a big ol' joint.  

[Cathal]

It was a stupid penalty. With that said I love the fact people still feel Christians are getting away with things others do not.    It's almost illegal to even quote the Bible these days.

Without getting thrown into a religious debate, but.... isn't this rather obvious that they are getting away with things that others do not? Hah.

[Sunstroke]

It would be interesting to see a player convert to Zion Coptic and after scoring a TD they celebrate by firing up a big ol' joint.  

No doubt...or someone sacrificing a live goat in the end zone.

Jimmy Graham should start his own religion, where dunking footballs over goalposts is a form of prayer. Take that, Goodell, you buzzkill bitch!