This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/28/2013
Chosen in the first round of the 1984 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills out of the University of Miami, Kelly elected to play for the Houston Gamblers in the new U. S. Football League. He was named the league's rookie of the year by The Sporting News. The league folded in August of 1986 and Kelly joined the Bills, becoming a starter immediately. He was put in charge of a hurry-up, no-huddle offense in which the quarterback calls the plays after sizing up the defensive alignment. That offense, and Kelly's skill at running it, took the Bills to four consecutive AFC championships, from 1990 through 1993, a feat that no doubt helped him get elected into the National Football League Hall of Fame in 2002.
On the left outside tail of the jersey is the "Champion" manufacturers tag with wash instructions and the jersey size "48" on it. On the front, back and on each sleeve of the jersey is the player number "12" screen printed in white on red. Across the back of the jersey is "KELLY" screen printed in white on a blue nameplate. The jersey has blue spandex sides and custom open sleeves. On the left front breast is the NFL 75th Anniversary patch; on the front right breast is the Buffalo Bills 35th Anniversary patch. Kelly has signed in black marker along the “1” on the front of the jersey, adding the inscription of his No. 12. The jersey shows game-use and appears to have no alterations of any kind. There is little or no fraying around the stitching of embroidered elements like the NFL logo at the throat, either of the breast patches or the small “Champion” logos on the sleeves, though some is visible on the blue stitching around the Kelly nameplate on the back. There is also some of the expected light cracking of some of the silk-screened elements, most particularly on the large No. 12 on the back.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.