Linebacker Jim Kelly? It sounds outlandish, but it was certainly a possibility, and a tempting one at that. After all, wouldn't a full ride scholarship to play linebacker at Linebacker U entice you to seriously consider that opportunity?
Hall of Fame quarterback — yes, quarterback, not linebacker — Jim Kelly joined Trey Wingo on the former ESPN host's new podcast "Half-Forgotten History" and revealed the story of his college decision-making process, and a key piece of advice from family that officially sent him on his way.
I, from start to finish, thought I was going to Penn State. I mean, I went to Joe Paterno's football camp my junior and senior year and I thought this is where I'm going. I mean, they came to my basketball games, they heavily recruited me. And unfortunately I still had a couple of visits left to go and Coach Paterno called and said, "Just want to let you know that we've already signed two quarterbacks, but we'll give you a full ride, but as a linebacker." And I'm like, you've got to be kidding me.
...I called my brother, Pat, by older brother who was drafted by the Baltimore Colts as a linebacker out of the University of Richmond, and we always looked up to him and we still do — he's the oldest. And I said Pat, um, Coach Paterno called and he said he didn't want me as a quarterback because they already signed a couple guys but gave me full ride as a linebacker, what should I do? And he said, "Brother, I have a few words of advice for you." He said, "Before you board those chartered flights... the stewardesses never want to know who the linebackers are. They always want to know which one's the quarterback."
And I go, "Brother, that's all I need to hear. Thanks for the advice." *Click*
And that was that. Instead of playing linebacker at Linebacker U, Kelly decided to play quarterback at one of college football's many Quarterback U's, leading the charge for a memorable span of four years under head coach Howard Schellenberger. And seeing as he's arguably the greatest Buffalo Bill in franchise history, it seems as though he made the right decision.
Penn State's primary quarterback during Kelly's college years at Miami was Todd Blackledge, the current broadcaster, who went seven picks before Kelly did in the 1983 NFL Draft. He started 29 games in his career, going 15-14 as a starter with 29 touchdowns to 38 interceptions... just some food for thought.
So when you look back on Jim Kelly's Hall of Fame speech and come across the part where he pays homage to his brother, Pat, saying "something he has never known, he's a part of the reason I chose to be a quarterback," we now know the exact reasoning. Need to impress those flight attendants somehow!
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