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Former Buffalo Bills quarterback, East Brady native Jim Kelly was hospitalized after a stroke

Former NFL quarterback of the Buffalo Bills' Jim Kelly said Tuesday he suffered a stroke in the spring. Associated Press file photo

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Former Buffalo Bills star quarterback Jim Kelly told reporters Tuesday he was hospitalized after experiencing a stroke in the spring.

“I had a little setback about a month and a half ago,” the Pro Football Hall of Famer said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Bills stadium. “But right now, I feel good. Eyesight’s not great. My hearing still sucks, but that’s part of life.”

The 66-year-old Kelly, who starred at East Brady High School and the University of Miami before being drafted in 1983 by the Bills, said recent tests were clean.

He underwent a combination of surgeries and chemotherapy in 2013, 2014 and 2018 because of various forms of cancer.

Kelly expressed excitement about attending the Bills' first game in their new stadium when the Detroit Lions visit Sept. 17.

“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 said. “And that’s what I’m looking forward to. I want to see how loud this stadium can get. And from what I’ve been told, it’s going to be unbelievable, but I don’t expect anything less.”

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