Was Husain Abdullah penalized for the slide or for the prostration?
Following Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah’s pick-six, he went to the ground and prostrated. Abdullah is a devout Muslim and many know that such actions are common with the religion. However, he was given a penalty flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct — mainly for going to the ground in celebration.
Naturally, there was a negative reaction to this, with people claiming that someone shouldn’t be flagged for praying.
But first, let’s look at the rule in Section 3. Article 1. Line D.
“Individual players involved in prolonged or excessive celebrations. Players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations while on the ground. A celebration shall be deemed excessive or prolonged if a player continues to celebrate after a warning from an official.”
But at the end of the day... 