Husain Abdullah said he didn't expect any repercussions from his penalty Monday night, least of all from his coach. He said after Monday's game that he knew before he even reached the end zone he would drop to his knees in thankful prayer after intercepting Tom Brady. (AP) — The NFL said Tuesday that Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah should not have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct when he dropped to his knees in prayer after an interception. In this Sept. 29, 2014, photo, Kansas City Chiefs free safety Husain Abdullah, left, gets up in the end zone after dropping to his knees in prayer as New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman,... (Associated Press) 
 
 Kansas City Chiefs free safety Husain Abdullah carries the ball after intercepting a pass and running it back 39 yards for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this Sept. 29, 2014, photo, Kansas City Chiefs free safety Husain Abdullah prays after intercepting a pass and running it back for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against... (Associated Press) 
 
 The league's rule book prohibits players from celebrating while on the ground, but spokesman Michael Signora wrote in an email Tuesday that the "officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play." “I think it was for the slide.” 
 
 The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil liberties and advocacy organization, issued a statement early Tuesday asking that the NFL take steps in response to the penalty. “To prevent the appearance of a double standard, we urge league officials to clarify the policy on prayer and recognize that the official made a mistake in this case,” CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said. Game officials didn’t say anything to Abdullah after the play, but Chiefs coach Andy Reid did when Abdullah came to the sideline. "When you go to Mecca," he said, referring to the end zone, "you should have the privilege to slide anywhere you want to slide. He never got a shot to return to the NFL. They’d probably vouch for me.” 
 
 The interception — the sixth of Abdullah’s career — was still a special moment despite the penalty, which sparked controversy on social media.
– The NFL is getting quicker with its mea culpas: Amid another growing controversy, the league admitted its mistake today in penalizing a player over a Muslim prayer on the field last night, reports the Kansas City Star. In the game, referees flagged Chiefs player Husain Abdullah, a devout Muslim, after he slid to his knees for a prayer after scoring a touchdown. Immediately, the league began taking flak: If, say, Tim Tebow, can pray in the end zone and not be penalized, why not a Muslim player? Earlier today, the Council on American-Islamic Relations urged the NFL to clarify its rules to "prevent the appearance of a double-standard," reports AP. Hours later, the NFL said the penalty was, in fact, a blown call. While league rules prevent players from celebrating while on the ground, there is an exception: The "officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play," says an NFL spokesperson. Abdullah, for his part, wasn't making a big deal of it. (The NFL lost a legal fight today with the FCC over game blackouts.)