Ex-Bills QB Kelly Battling Jaw Cancer, Says Prognosis Good

Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly said on Monday he has been diagnosed with cancer in his upper jaw bone and that the prognosis for a recovery is good.

The 53-year-old, who led the Bills to four successive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s, is suffering from squamous-cell carcinoma and will have surgery on Friday.

"This past couple of weeks has been difficult for me and because of the nature of social media I thought it would be best to share with everyone what has been going on with my health," Kelly said in a statement.

"I have undergone tests which have shown that the cancer is isolated to my upper jaw and has not spread to other parts of my body ... and doctors have told me that the prognosis for my recovery is very good."

Kelly spent his entire 11-season NFL career with the Bills, throwing for a franchise record 35,467 yards and 237 touchdowns. He retired after the 1996 season and was inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

(Reporting by Julian Linden in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue)