Jim Kelly, 66, Discloses Stroke at New Bills Stadium Ceremony, Says Recent Cancer Scans Are Clean

Jim Kelly made the announcement himself, unprompted, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Buffalo Bills' new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Tuesday. A day that was supposed to be about bricks and mortar became about his health.

"I had a little setback about a month and a half ago," Kelly told reporters, according to NBC Sports and TSN. "But right now, I feel good. Eyesight's not great. My hearing still sucks, but that's part of life."

The 66-year-old confirmed he spent a few days hospitalized after the stroke. He said recent scans have come back clean. "Everything's good. All good."

Kelly has been fighting serious illness for over a decade. In 2013, surgeons removed squamous cell carcinoma from his upper jawbone. Cancer returned to his maxillary sinus in 2014, requiring chemotherapy. Then in 2018, he needed surgery again to remove oral cancer and reconstruct his upper jaw, according to Fox News and TSN.

He has survived squamous cell carcinoma four times, according to NBC Sports.

The stroke adds a new chapter to that history, though Kelly was careful to frame it with perspective rather than alarm. "I'm very blessed," he told reporters, via NBC Sports. "It's been about a month and a half since my setback, but I feel pretty good."

Strokes in 66-year-olds with a history of cancer, surgery, and chemotherapy carry real long-term risks. Kelly's acknowledgment of eyesight problems could indicate residual neurological effects. His positivity is genuine and earned through years of hardship. A stroke is a serious vascular event, and follow-up care and monitoring matter. Kelly did not detail his treatment plan or the severity of the stroke, and none of the four outlets covering the event pressed him on those specifics.

Kelly's stated energy level, his appearance at a public event, and his clean cancer scans are positive indicators.

Kelly, who still lives in western New York and remains active in the Bills organization, had one clear focus Tuesday: football.

"I can't wait for the first game," he said, via NBC Sports.

The Bills open the 2026 regular season at home against the Detroit Lions on September 17. Kelly said he hopes to spend years watching games at the new Highmark Stadium with his grandson. "I pray to the good Lord that it gives me some extra years that I'll be able to enjoy a football game right here in Highmark Stadium with my grandson," he told reporters, according to NBC Sports.

"It's going to be special, not only for the players, but imagine the fans in there, how crazy and wild and loud they're going to get," Kelly added, via Newsday. "I want to see how loud this stadium can get."

Kelly quarterbacked the Bills from 1986 through 1996, taking Buffalo to four consecutive Super Bowls. A feat no team has matched before or since. The Bills lost all four. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance in 2018, according to TSN.

He has been a visible presence at Bills events for years. Tuesday was consistent with that. He showed up to celebrate the team's new home, disclosed a serious health event without theatrics, and redirected the conversation toward the season ahead.

The nature and severity of the stroke remain unclear from the available reporting. Kelly described it as "a little setback," but the specific type, which neurological systems were affected, and what his recovery protocol looks like were not reported by any of the four outlets covering Tuesday's event. His eyesight, which he flagged twice in different quotes, may or may not be a direct consequence of the stroke. That distinction was not addressed on the record.