Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct during Monday night's game for dropping to his knees in prayer.
The defensive player had just intercepted a Tom Brady pass and taken it to the house as part of the home team's 41-14 demolition of New England.
Upon scoring his second career touchdown, the 29-year-old Abdullah then slid to his knees and bowed in celebration - not to himself, but to Allah.
If there is any doubt as to what Abdullah was doing, his brother and former NFL safety Hamza Abdullah exclaimed on Twitter: "ALLAHU AKBAR!"
A devout Muslim who sat out the entire 2012 season to make Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Husain drew a penalty for his end zone display.
Many fans in the stadium and on Twitter were upset, believing there's no way he should have had a penalty called on him for what he did on the field.
His agent also weighed in on the issue, Tweeting, "If the NFL tries to fine @HAbdullah39 for his TD celebration there's going to be some problems."
Going strictly by the official rule book, NFL "players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations while on the ground," thus justifying the penalty.
Or not, but the league's own admission.
In 2008, then-V.P. of NFL officiating Mike Pereira explained on TV that there was a loophole in the rule against players going to the ground: prayer.
As recently as 2013, Pereira reiterated this exception, saying on Twitter that "you're not penalized for going to the ground to give praise after a TD."
Recently, Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall went to his knee in prayer after touchdowns against both the 49ers and the Packers.
There were no flags in either case.
The NFL, which hasn't exactly had a good PR month as it is, will no doubt be under scrutiny and forced to clarify why Abdullah got the penalty.
Lance Armstrong denied it and denied it, but he eventually came clean: yes, he cheated to win every Tour de France.
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