Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly is cancer-free again

On July 25, former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly was in Los Angeles to accept the Jimmy V Award at the 2018 ESPYs to honor his brave battle against oral cancer. One week later he was in New York — getting word from his doctors he was once again cancer-free.

Kelly’s wife Jill posted a picture of the Hall of Famer Wednesday at his doctor’s office, giving a double thumbs-up after getting his latest diagnosis. Tests showed that surgery and months of treatment had removed all traces of the oral cancer that had threatened his life.

jillmkelly Double thumbs up!

MRI and CTScans are clear.

Still working through major pain management, but PRAISE THE LORD, no evidence of cancer.

And can I just say, Jim’s brothers are amazing!

I’ve watched them stand with Jim in good times and bad. I’ve witnessed a love between siblings that is remarkable. What a blessing to be part of such an amazing family.

Thank you Pat, Ray, Ed, Danny and Kevin for being an example of what a loving, devoted family should look like. Add your humor and faith to the mix and we have everything we need.

Love you guys so much!

Wednesday’s announcement marked the third time time Kelly had beaten cancer. He’d previously been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in his upper jaw in June of 2013, but was declared cancer-free after facial surgery later that month. His recovery lasted less than a year when the disease returned in March 2014, but Kelly battled the disease into remission after a long course of radiation and chemotherapy treatments and, amazingly, 12 biopsies that eventually led to other complications like a MRSA infection in his facial bones.

Though his health wavered, Kelly’s resilience never did. His speech at the 2018 ESPYs implored others to fight their own fight and spend every day trying to make life better for others.

Make a difference today for someone who is fighting for their tomorrow, When I look across this arena and when I talk to people and I look at people, you don’t need to be a Russell Wilson, an Aaron Rodgers to make a difference out there. Every single person in the room can be a difference maker. You can be just a normal person that gets up every morning and goes to work but you can be a difference maker. Put the smiles on those faces.

My kids and my friends, when they came in to see me not once did they ever have a frown on their face. So, I just urge anybody out there, if you have somebody out there that’s suffering, it doesn’t have to be cancer. It could be somebody not having a good day. It could be your mom or your dad. It could be your grandparents. What you say to them, the smile that you have on your face, that could be the difference in them making it to the next day. Remember that. Always, always persevere. Like Jimmy V said, ‘Never, ever give up.’

You can watch his full speech, now even more resonant after Kelly’s latest feat of perseverance, below.