The NFL has quickly apologized for penalizing Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah for kneeling down in a Muslim prayer after scoring a touchdown on Monday Night Football, citing a clause in their celebration rules allowing “religious expression.”

The penalty occurred in the fourth quarter after Abdullah intercepted a pass from New England’s Tom Brady and ran the ball back 40 years to seal Kansas City’s rout of the Patriots. When Abdullah reached the endzone, he slid to his knees and bowed his head to the ground in the traditional Muslim prayer posture.

The officials flagged him for “unsportsmanlike conduct: going to the ground” and gave KC a 15-yard penalty.

After pushback online, the NFL quickly made a public apology Tuesday morning, NFL spokesman Michael Signora telling USA Today that the penalty was an error on the part of the officials:

"Husain Abdullah should not have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct following his fourth quarter touchdown," NFL spokesman Michael Signora wrote in an email to USA TODAY Sports.

"Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 (d) states 'players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground.' However, 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."

Abdullah is reportedly a devout Muslim, even taking off his 2012 season along with his brother, former NFL safety Hamza Abdullah, to visit Mecca for the annual Islamic pilgrimage, the Hajj.