Four consecutive Super Bowl appearances — the most in NFL history — and never won one.
James Edward Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1960. The Buffalo Bills selected him 14th overall in 1983. He led Buffalo to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1991 to 1994 — the only team in NFL history to achieve this feat. They lost all four. The no-huddle K-Gun offence he ran was the most creative tactical innovation in NFL offensive football of the early 1990s. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. He was diagnosed with maxillary sinus cancer in 2013 — requiring multiple surgeries and becoming an advocate for cancer awareness. His son Hunter Kelly was born with Krabbe disease and died aged 8. His family's response to these medical challenges has been widely praised.
Super Bowl 4x (consecutive)
Career Honours
- Super Bowl 4x (consecutive)
- Pro Bowl 5x
- Hall of Fame 2002