According to ESPN, former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly is facing another battle with Oral Cancer. Recent test results show that his cancer has come back. Kelly will begin treatment soon. Fans and teammates are rallying behind the Hall of Fame quarterback that led the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991-1994.
A rough road to health
The road to health has not been easy for the quarterback that turned around a Buffalo Bills team and made them a dominant AFC East force in the 1990’s. Five years ago, Kelly was diagnosed with cancer in his upper jawbone.
Despite having surgery to remove the cancerous tumors, in 2014, Kelly found out that his cancer had resurfaced. He faced an intense form of chemotherapy treatment and ended up being free of cancer at the end of that year. Up until the announcement this morning that his cancer had returned, medical tests had given Kelly a clean bill of health.
Why Buffalo loves Jim Kelly
Before Jim Kelly joined the Bills in 1986, fans agonized through 2-14 seasons and inefficient quarterbacks, such as Vince Ferragamo and Bruce Mathison. Fans were clamoring to get back into the post-season and boast winning records. With offensive weapons such as running back Thurman Thomas and wide receivers James Lofton and Andre Reed, Kelly helped the Bills clinch a playoff berth in 1988 when they beat the New York Jets.
Before Tom Brady and the Patriots dynasty caught fire, Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills were the AFC team to beat. K-Gun Kelly ran the infamous no-huddle offense, which wore down opposing defenses, as Kelly picked them apart. The Bills proved a force to be reckoned with and are the only NFL team to make four consecutive Super Bowl appearances.
While Scott Norwood’s wide-right field goal in Super Bowl XXV brings back heartbreaking memories, Kelly’s quarterbacking and leadership brought hope to Buffalo fans who just wanted a successful franchise.
Buffalo Bills offer their support
The Buffalo Bills have released the following team statement on Buffalo Bills.com:
“We are deeply saddened to hear the news about Jim Kelly and his impending battle with cancer.
Jim is a tough and courageous man and we know he will fight this battle with strength and determination. The Buffalo Bills will support the Kelly family during this trying time and we ask our fans to pray for the family as Jim begins the treatment process and the road to recover.”
In the NFL film, “Jim Kelly: The Toughest QB You Will Ever Meet,” former Buffalo Bill Darryl Talley talked about Kelly’s toughness, saying: “His ability to want to get up off the floor, get off the deck, and stand again, that’s the part that really came to the forefront when he was sick.”
Kelly is going to need that toughness as he fights back against cancer. The city of Buffalo has his back.
