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Buffalo Bills news, 6/4: Jim Kelly diagnosed with cancer

Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly has been diagnosed with cancer. Read reaction from around Bills Nation and the country.

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Matt Warren is Associate Director of NFL coverage for SB Nation and previously covered the Bills for Buffalo Rumblings for more than a decade.

Cancer faces a fighter tested on, off field - The Buffalo News

Jerry Sullivan's truly touching piece on what has prepared Jim Kelly to tackle his cancer head-on features a conversation with Darryl Talley.

Jim Kelly diagnosis: Specialists explain squamous-cell oral cancer - Press Coverage | The Buffalo News

Dr. Paul van der Sloot, specialist in head and neck surgery and microvascular reconstruction, Wilmot Cancer Center in Rochester and Dr. Victor Cimino, chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery and chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery, Loyola University Health System (University at Buffalo School of Medicine graduate) discuss Jim Kelly's diagnosis. , explains Jim Kelly's type of cancer.

A statement from Jim Kelly - BuffaloBills.com
Kelly's original statement telling the world he has cancer.

Jim Kelly's former teammates set to rally around him - BuffaloBills.com
"The men that once played with Kelly would be the first to attest that he’s one of the toughest people they’ve ever come across, but are rallying around him knowing bone cancer is something that challenges even the strongest."

Kelly: "We caught it in time" - BuffaloBills.com
"At the same time Kelly understands that he’ll be losing more of his teeth, part of his jaw bone and will likely need some measure of facial reconstruction and possibly need some measure of chemotherapy."

Bills Focus: Kelly Reveals Cancer to Friends - VIDEO - BuffaloBills.com
"Former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly announced on Monday morning to his friends and former teammates that he has recently been diagnosed with cancer."

Jim Kelly Cancer Announcement - VIDEO - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills hall of fame quarterback talks with the media on Monday morning at his annual golf tournament about his recent cancer diagnosis." You can see reatcions from Andre Reed, Bill Polian, and more on the Bills website.

Inside The Bills | Marrone comments on Kelly diagnosis
"Cancer in whatever form it may be really affects all of us in some way," said Marrone. "We can all reach out and we can all feel it. I saw Jim Sunday night and he was in good spirits and the people around him were very supportive. I think for myself and the organization obviously our prayers go out to Jim and his family and everyone who is touched by this disease."

Inside The Bills | Berman believes in Kelly’s toughness
"Jim is one of the toughest hombres that we’ve ever met," said Berman in attendance at Kelly’s annual golf tournament in Batavia. "Once again he’s being asked to be really tough. He’s got a lot of support from a lot of friends and people that love him. He called me last week and said he had some news and he shared it. So I felt kind of odd coming up to the golf tournament. I said I could just come up and spend some time with you. He said, ‘Are you kidding this is going to be the best golf tournament we’ve had.’ That’s Jim Kelly."

Kelly sees jawbone cancer as ‘another river to cross’ - City & Region - The Buffalo News
"One more river to cross was a rallying cry the Bills used during their Super Bowl era in the 1990s, as they faced challenges each week on the football field. Now Kelly faces his latest personal crisis following his announcement Monday that he has been diagnosed with squamous-cell cancer in his upper jawbone. He is scheduled to undergo surgery Friday in Erie County Medical Center."

Survival rate for Kelly’s variety of cancer is above 50% - City & Region - The Buffalo News
"Oral squamous-cell carcinoma affects about 30,000 Americans each year, according to the Merck Manual, a well-respected medical textbook. The overall five-year survival rate is above 50 percent, the Merck Manual states."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Former Bills QB Jim Kelly Announces He Has Cancer
"It was pain, and the pain has been around for many months," Kelly told reporters at Terry Hills Golf Course in Batavia. "I went through a number of antibiotics at the beginning thinking it was just an infection. Then when I did go to the oral surgeon, they first found a big cyst. They cut that out, and then one thing led to another, and here I am. I never thought that I would be saying the word 'cancer,' that I would have it."

Jim Kelly battling cancer of the jaw - AFC East Blog - ESPN
See the short video piece they ran on ESPN yesterday.

Bruton column: WNY prays for Kelly's recovery - The Daily News Online: Sports
"Jim Kelly’s our guy. He married an Attica girl, the former Jill Waggoner. They built a home in Orchard Park."

Former Bills QB Kelly battling cancer of the jaw - AP - Yahoo! Sports
''I'm down at the bottom. But I will rise to the top again,'' Kelly said. ''I am extremely confident in my road to recovery. I plan to tackle this challenge head on, as we Kellys always do.''