Jim Kelly

James Edward Kelly (born February 14, 1960) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL). Kelly played college football at the University of Miami, where he was the Offensive MVP of the 1981 Peach Bowl. One of the six quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft, Kelly was selected 14th overall by the Bills. He chose to sign with the Gamblers instead and did not play for the Bills until the USFL folded in 1986. Employing the "K-Gun" offense, known for its no-huddle shotgun formations, Kelly led one of the greatest NFL scoring juggernauts. From 1990 to 1993, he helped guide the Bills to a record four consecutive Super Bowls, although the team lost each game. Kelly was also named to five Pro Bowls and received first-team All-Pro honors in 1991. Along with teammates Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith, Kelly is one of only three players to have his number retired by the Bills. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Early life Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and grew up about 60 miles to the northeast, in East Brady. He was a standout at East Brady High School and won all-state honors after passing for 3,915 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 1 interception in his career. After his senior year, Kelly played in the Big 33 Football Classic. Kelly also played basketball in high school, scoring over 1,000 points with six 30-plus-point games. As a senior, he led East Brady to the Pennsylvania Class 'A' basketball state quarterfinals, and averaged 23 points and 20 rebounds.