Jim Kelly has etched his name in Buffalo Bills history as the legendary quarterback who led his team to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Kelly has faced AFC’s ferocity firsthand, and even after 28 years of retirement, he sees a lot of similarities between the AFC of his time and now.
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He believes the competition among quarterbacks in the AFC hasn’t really changed as it’s still a conference packed with powerhouse QBs.
It was week after week of star QB vs star QB match-ups. No matter which team you look at, they had a formidable force calling their plays. And in their time, the QBs did a lot more than they do today and were protected a lot less than today’s game.
Kelly, who faced off against legends like Dan Marino, John Elway, Bernie Kosar, Boomer Esiason, and Warren Moon, knows what it’s like to compete against the best. He reminisced,
“Back in my day, the AFC also had a bunch of great quarterbacks… I could go on and on, there were so many.”
Fast forward to today, and the AFC is still shining bright with talent. Names like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Aaron Rodgers are the stars of different AFC team rosters, and Kelly recognizes the intensity of the competition that comes with them.
“You look at the AFC now with all the quarterbacks that they have—wow, that’s a lot,” he added.
Jim Kelly’s perspective is built on the fact that while the names may have changed, the fierce competition in the AFC remains a constant. The quarterbacks of today are continuing the legacy of greatness that he and his contemporaries set, including the Bills star Josh Allen. And Kelly could not keep himself from talking up the star quarterback.
Jim Kelly Has High Praise for Josh Allen
Jim Kelly knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a legendary quarterback in Buffalo. And when it comes to Josh Allen, Kelly’s admiration is as clear as a crystal. Despite Allen’s rocky start in the NFL, he has become a beloved figure for the Bills Mafia and even the team’s former greats, with Kelly leading the fan club.
Kelly offered some insight into his relationship with Allen, saying, “I said, Josh if you ever want to sit down and talk, if you ever want to go to lunch and have a beer, you know, talk about a game or even before, just let me know, just give me a call. If I’m here, I’m there for you.”
Jim Kelly sees Allen as not just a quarterback, but someone who could replicate the level of success that he had during his time. He also praised the dual threat’s skills on the field, adding,
“He’s such a good dude, and he does so much for this community, and he’s such a heck of a quarterback. He’s amazing.”
While Kelly acknowledges the tough comparisons Allen faces with Patrick Mahomes, he believes the difference between the two isn’t as wide as people might think. Surely, even Patrick Mahomes had to face a crisp defeat from the Buffalo Bills, before finally pulling one over them.
And to say that Allen is any less of a quarterback, would be unjustified. That being said, Jim Kelly not only has the ability but also the experience to guide Josh Allen to the wins that the Bills mafia await with shining eyes.
