Let’s just be honest, cancer absolutely sucks. When Bills legend Jim Kelly announced that he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, which affects the upper jaw, cheekbone, and nasal cavity, the NFL community was deeply saddened. However, just like when he was on the field he put up quite a fight against the disease. It was tough seeing one of the most iconic players in Buffalo history start to deteriorate as the chemotherapy took its toll on his body. It was tough seeing his daughter lay in a hospital bed with her father as he fought for his life. Kelly never wanted sympathy.
Instead, he was out trying to enjoy life. He was present at Bills mini-camp to give the players a pep talk. He was present as his youth football camp in Buffalo. Most notably he was in Canton when another Bills legend, Andre Reed, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When he couldn’t make it out, the legends came to him. Dan Marino, Bill Polian, and former Miami head coach Howard Schnellenberger all stopped by Kelly’s hospital room to keep him in good spirits.
The best news came in September when it was announced that Kelly’s biopsies were all negative and he was declared cancer free! Jim’s wife, Jill, chronicled his battle with the disease and posted a video of him telling his daughter the amazing news. Doctors, nurses, and everyone who loves Jim waited outside of the hospital in their “#KellyStrong” t-shirts to give the quarterback a proper goodbye, just like his days of running out of the tunnel.
