Jim Kelly

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Lore & Background

Kelly's journey began with a dramatic twist after the 1983 draft. Although selected by the Bills, he refused to sign until a USFL contract was secured, famously telling his agent, "You have to say those things... I cried. (Laughs) I didn't really literally cry. I just had tears." He spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers in the climate-controlled Astrodome, throwing for 9,842 yards and 83 touchdowns. In a legendary USFL matchup against Steve Young's Los Angeles Express on February 24, 1985, Kelly threw for a pro football record 574 yards to secure a 34–33 comeback victory in a game Sports Illustrated called "the greatest game no one saw." When the league folded, he finally joined Buffalo in 1986. There, he ran the "K-Gun" offense, a fast-paced system named after his own initials that denied defenses time to substitute. This approach fueled one of the NFL's greatest scoring juggernauts, leading the Bills to four straight Super Bowl losses while earning him induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

In Their Own Story

The path to Buffalo was paved with negotiation drama and a detour through Houston. Kelly had listed the Bills as a team he would not play for due to the cold, yet found himself selected 14th overall by them after watching the draft on television. A secretary at a meeting mistakenly let Bruce Allen of the Chicago Blitz reach him, sparking a bidding war that included an offer from the Montreal Concordes based on his girlfriend's residence there. He eventually signed with the Houston Gamblers, where he thrived in Mouse Davis's run-and-shoot offense. His most memorable USFL moment came against Steve Young; after falling behind 33–14, Kelly led two scoring drives in under a minute each to win 34–33, throwing three touchdown passes in the final quarter. He connected with Ricky Sanders for a 39-yard game-winner and Richard Johnson for a 52-yard score. After the USFL collapsed while he was slated for the New Jersey Generals, Kelly arrived in Buffalo in 1986. He spent his career there until retiring after the 1996 season due to injuries, later declining a 1998 offer from the Baltimore Ravens.

Reader's Guide

To understand Jim Kelly's impact, look at his connection with wide receiver Andre Reed; together they connected for 65 touchdowns, trailing only a handful of legendary NFL tandems. Kelly was one of six first-round quarterbacks taken in 1983 and is one of only three players, alongside Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith, to have their numbers retired by the Bills. His college career at Miami began under Lou Saban, who promised him the quarterback spot before leaving; head coach Howard Schnellenberger then led Kelly to earn offensive MVP honors in the 1981 Peach Bowl. In high school, Kelly was a dual-sport star, passing for 3,915 yards and 44 touchdowns while also averaging 23 points and 20 rebounds per game in basketball as a senior. His professional legacy is cemented by his role in the "Four Falls of Buffalo," a 30 for 30 documentary covering his four Super Bowl losses with teammates Reed, Smith, Thomas, and kicker Scott Norwood.

Did You Know?

• Kelly threw for a pro football record 574 yards in a single USFL game against the Los Angeles Express on February 24, 1985.
• He was selected 14th overall in the 1983 NFL Draft but did not play for the Bills until 1986 after spending two seasons with the Houston Gamblers.
• Kelly and Andre Reed connected for 64 regular season touchdowns during their careers together, ranking among the top QB-receiver tandems in NFL history.
• He is one of only four players to have his number officially retired by the Buffalo Bills; joining O.J. Simpson (#34), Billy Shaw (#60), and Bruce Smith (#78), Kelly's #12 stands as a testament to his legacy, while Thurm
• In high school, Kelly averaged 23 points and 20 rebounds per game as a senior while leading East Brady to the state quarterfinals in basketball.