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Legend of the Game

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Jim Kelly and Joe Ferguson announced as Legends of the Game for Bills vs. Chiefs | Week 9

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Quarterbacks Jim Kelly and Joe Ferguson were announced as the Bills' Legends of the Game for Sunday's contest against Kansas City. While Kelly isn't new to this role, it will be Ferguson's first time helping lead the charge for Buffalo's fans.

Kelly was a 2002 Hall of Fame inductee. He played under center for the Bills from 1986-96 and was selected to four Pro Bowls (1987, 1990-92). Eight times during his NFL career, Kelly passed for more than 3,000 yards while being the fourth-fastest player to reach the 30,000-career passing yard mark.

Over his 11-year career in Buffalo, he led the team to four consecutive Super Bowl and eight total playoff appearances. Kelly made it to the postseason 17 times in his career, passing for 3,863 yards and 21 touchdowns over those appearances. When he retired, he had the second-highest passer rating among Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

Ferguson was inducted to the Bills' Wall of Fame in 1995 after his 12-year career in Buffalo from 1973-84. Ferguson led Buffalo in passing in each of those seasons and set passing records for the team while doing so as well. He ranks second in career pass attempts with 4,166, completions and yards (2,188 for 27,590) and touchdowns at 181.

"He was a guy that, when I came into minicamp in 1983, I went into camp and I watched him throw the football, and I was amazed how good he can throw and ball and how good he was," Kelly said of his Legend of the Game partner. "And [I was] like, 'Oh boy, this is going to be tough.'"

Both former quarterbacks are ready to get the crowd fired up for a heated battle between Buffalo and Kansas City. The Bills are coming off a post-bye week match that put them back in the win column and ignited a different spark on offense and defense.

"It's fun to come back because of the way the team's playing and doing well and predicted to be in the playoffs; and it's just going to be a great atmosphere and that's what I'll enjoy more than anything," Ferguson said. "… when we were winning back then, the fans were just super, and the thing about Buffalo fans is, even when you're not doing that well, they're still there."

For both former Bills, it's no surprise that quarterback Josh Allen is the player standing out to them the most. Though Ferguson added running back James Cook into the mix, it's natural for the two to keep their eye on Allen.

Ferguson said that Allen is the identity of the team. As for Kelly, he assesses the game from the quarterback's perspective, looking at the decision-making and plays from a different angle. No. 17 will always be the guy Kelly sees the game through the most.

"They're just well-rounded," Ferguson said of Buffalo as a whole. "There's not a weak spot on the team that I can think of, and the defense is doing well enough to win games and that's what it takes. If you can score 30 points a game … you're going to win most of the time."

With it being the final season played at Highmark Stadium, Kelly and Ferguson are excited to fire fans up on Sunday and be one of the last Legends of the Game at the stadium.

Kelly reflected on his first career start, which was at home against the New York jets in 1986. The Bills wrap up their 2025 regular season facing the Jets, something the former quarterback is looking forward to. On Sunday, he gets to take it all in and share the experience with his five brothers. Both legends will soak up the fan atmosphere for one of their last times at Highmark Stadium.

Scroll to see the best photos as the Buffalo Bills prepare for Week 9 of the NFL season at the Buffalo Bills Training Center. This gallery is presented by ECMC.

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