Hall of Famers don’t roll out of the bed as great athletes.

They had to put in the work to become the players they were, and in the case of Jim Kelly and several others, they had to PERSEVERE through adversity in their lives to make it to Canton, Ohio.

Rough childhoods, doubt, life-threating diagnoses all could have derailed their lives and/or careers. These men didn’t let that happen, and it helped shape who they are today.

Longtime teammate Andre Reed shares a story about Kelly here.