NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly speaks about cancer battle at Orlando conference
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ORLANDO, Fla. - He led the Buffalo Bills through eleven seasons as quarterback, made four Super Bowl appearances, and played in the Pro Bowl five times. Before that, he was a quarterback for the University of Miami Hurricanes from 1978-1982.
Jim Kelly accomplished a lot in his football career, but on Tuesday, his battle with oral cancer and unwavering spirit was how he inspired the masses.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 09: Jim Kelly attends the 12th Annual NFL Honors at Symphony Hall on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
"Many years ago, I probably wouldn’t be thinking about this. But God prepared for what I'm doing now," Kelly said.
He was Tuesday’s Keynote speaker for the Florida Association of Health Plans annual conference.
"I came up with the motto, make a difference today for someone fighting for their tomorrow," he said.
He used his platform to draw comparisons from his time on the field to his ongoing cancer battle.
Kelly said, "I might have lost four Super Bowls, but I kicked cancer's butt four times."
Kicking cancer’s butt required surgeries to his jaw, radiation, and chemotherapy. FOX 35 News asked Kelly what kept him motivated through all those procedures.
"Of course my faith, having a great wife, two beautiful daughters, and five brothers that would never let me give up," he told us.
He also credited his late son, Hunter, whose battle with a rare genetic disease was more motivation.
"I saw that everyday battle he had, and I looked at that, and I said, ‘You know what? What I’m going through, is nothing compared to what he is going through."