In an issue of Sports Illustrated earlier this month, Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly spoke to Dan Patrick about his career. In the interview, he shared his thoughts on Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, discussed his time in the USFL, and his New Year's Eve celebration.
In the spirit of celebration, Patrick asked Kelly if he had ever had a late night the night before a game that affected his play.
"No," said Kelly. "The only thing I ever had the night before a game was a glass of wine at dinner if we were on the road and we'd gone to an Italian restaurant. You have to remember I called the play. It was tough enough doing it with a straight head and six concussions, let alone trying to do it with a hangover. But I know there are players who have," he added with a laugh.
Patrick continued this line of questioning asking what Kelly had ever seen in a locker room, further asking if a player had ever thrown up. Kelly's answer, while disgusting, was pretty awesome.
"Well, I threw up before every game," said Kelly. "Everybody probably could have said I had a hangover."
Pressed to go on, Kelly added that it went all the way back to his childhood.
"Every game, including high school. Even basketball. The interesting thing about it was, we were so superstitious [in Buffalo] that my offensive line would not leave the locker room until I threw up. I shouldn't say I threw up every game. Probably 95 percent of the time. But the times I didn't think I needed to or it wasn't one of those games where I was so pumped up - like if we had [already] clinched - those games the offensive line wouldn't leave. So I went in there and pretended, just to keep those guys happy."
That, my friends, is the definition of a true leader and team player.
Expect to hear more from Kelly in the coming weeks. He is always a fixture on the Super Bowl media circuit.