[2] During his rookie season (1981), Kemp was the starting strong safety as the Bengals defeated the San Diego Chargers in the coldest game in NFL history, the AFC Championship Game dubbed the "Freezer Bowl" on January 10, 1982.
[3] The win propelled the Bengals to Super Bowl XVI, which they lost, 26–21, to the San Francisco 49ers.
His last year in the NFL was in 1987 for the Buccaneers, for whom he started and played in 12 games as a strong safety with one interception.
[5] Kemp later became a paramedic in Glendale, California, after retiring from football due to knee problems.
On February 7, 1998, Kemp committed suicide in his North Hollywood, California home.