Age: 24
1st season in pro
football
College: Miami (FL)
Height: 6’3” Weight: 215
Prelude:
A star in college, Kelly
missed most of his senior year due to a shoulder separation but was still taken
in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was also
chosen by the Chicago Blitz of the new USFL, who traded his draft rights to the
Houston Gamblers. Kelly signed with the new team in the second-year league and
also benefited from the extra time to recuperate while awaiting the spring ’84
season. He immediately became the starting quarterback as a rookie, directing Houston ’s run-and-shoot
offense.
1984 Season Summary
Appeared in all 18 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate
league rank in Top 20]
Passing
Attempts – 587 [1]
Most attempts, game – 50
vs. Los Angeles
4/30
Completions – 370 [1]
Most completions, game –
37 vs. Los Angeles
4/30
Yards – 5219 [1]
Most yards, game – 380
vs. Los Angeles
4/30
Completion percentage – 63.0 [2]
Yards per attempt – 8.9 [1]
TD passes – 44 [1]
Most TD passes, game – 5 at Pittsburgh 5/12
Interceptions – 26 [1]
Most interceptions, game – 4
at Oakland 4/16, vs. San Antonio 6/18
Passer rating – 98.2 [3]
300-yard passing games – 9
200-yard passing games – 17
Rushing
Attempts – 85
Most attempts, game - 9 (for
65 yds.) vs. San Antonio
6/18
Yards – 493
Most yards, game – 65 yards
(on 6 carries) vs. New Jersey 3/18, (on 9
carries) vs. San Antonio
6/18
Yards per attempt – 5.8 [3]
TDs – 5
Scoring
TDs – 5
2-pt conversions – 1
Points - 32
Postseason: 1 G (First Round
playoff vs. Arizona )
Pass attempts – 34
Pass completions – 23
Passing yardage – 301
TD passes – 0
Interceptions – 2
Rushing attempts – 8
Rushing yards – 59
Average gain rushing – 7.4
Rushing TDs – 1
Awards & Honors:
USFL MVP: League
USFL Rookie of the Year:
Sporting News
1st team All-USFL:
League
Gamblers went 13-5 to finish
first in the Central Division while leading the USFL in passing yards (5311),
scoring (618 points), and TDs (79). Lost USFL First Round playoff to Arizona
Wranglers (17-16).
Aftermath:
While Kelly missed several
games due to injury in 1985, he still led the USFL in pass attempts (567),
completions (360), yards (4623), TD passes (39), completion percentage (63.5),
and overall passing (97.9) and the team again reached the postseason. With the
end of the league, Kelly joined the Bills for the 1986 season and threw for
3593 yards and 22 TDs. He went to the Pro Bowl for the first of five times in
’87 and Buffalo
made it to the postseason in 1988. In 1990 he led the NFL in passing (101.2)
and the team won the AFC title, barely losing the Super Bowl. It was the first
of four straight conference championships, marred by the failure to win any of
the resulting Super Bowls. Kelly proved to be a tough competitor and savvy
field general. He retired following the 1996 season having passed for 35,467
yards and 237 touchdowns with an 84.4 rating in the NFL along with 9842 yards
and 83 TDs in the USFL. The Bills retired Kelly’s #12 and he was inducted into
the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2002.
--
MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL,
AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized
organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper
Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell
Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself).
[Updated 2/8/14]
[Updated 2/8/14]
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