PFWA Pool Reporter Josh Kendall Interview with Referee Alex Kemp
Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Question: On the Darnell Mooney touchdown that was called back, can you give me the exact ruling on what that was? Was the ruling that he was not forced out of bounds or that he didn’t re-establish himself in bounds?
Alex Kemp: We ruled that he did not re-establish himself back in bounds, that he went out on his own. He was
not forced out.
Question: What would he have to do to re-establish himself in bounds?
Kemp: He would have to get two feet down in bounds in order to re-establish, two feet or a body part, back inbounds. If he had and would have been the first to touch, it would have been a foul for illegal touching of a pass. The penalty enforcement for that would be the exact same as an incomplete pass. It’s loss of down at the previous spot. Had we ruled what we ruled or the other way, the result of the play would have been the exact same thing.
Question: So once he went out of bounds on his own by your determination, the play was over one way or the other?
Kemp: The play isn’t over. The play is allowed to proceed to completion because, of course, the pass could be intercepted or caught by another player. But if it is touched by that player, it is a foul for illegal touching if he re-establishes and it is simply an incomplete pass if he does not.
Question: Is the judgment as to if he was forced out of bounds reviewable or not?
Kemp: That is not.
Question: Ok, so Raheem Morris could not throw a challenge flag?
Kemp: He could have challenged, but what he would have been challenging was if the receiver was out of bounds or not.
