Buffalo Bills legendary quarterback Jim Kelly says he can overcome cancer in his upper jaw, describing it as “just another river to cross and another stumbling block”.

“I’ve been to the top many, many times, and I’ve been to the bottom and it’s one of those roller-coaster rides I’ve been on throughout my life, and it’s just another challenge for me,” the 53-year-old Kelly said upon revealing the diagnosis. “I know I’ll beat it.”

“When you hear the word cancer, it scares the crap out of you,” Kelly told a group of reporters at Terry Hills Golf Course, where he’s hosting his annual charity golf tournament. “It not only scared me, but it scared my family.”

Kelly indicated that the cancer – squamous-cell carcinoma – is isolated to his upper jaw and has not spread to other parts of his body.

The ex-quarterback is set to undergo surgery Friday. He said doctors told him his prognosis for recovery is very good as they found the cancer early on.

“When I talked to the surgeon and when they went over the CT scan, they knew I caught it early enough,” Kelly said. “But just like with anything, you have to wait a number of months after the surgery to make sure nothing comes back.

Kelly played for the Bills from 1986 through 1996, helping lead the team to an unprecedented four straight Super Bowls, all losses, in the early 1990s. The Bills also snared six divisional championships and were among the NFL’s winningest franchises, despite their inability to win the big game.

The strong-armed quarterback threw for 35,467 yards and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. The four-time Pro Bowler struggled in his four Super Bowl appearances, like his team, connecting on just two touchdown passes to seven interceptions despite completing 81 of 145 passes for 829 yards.

He still enjoyed a remarkable career, first at the University of Miami where he passed for over 5,000 yards with 32 touchdowns. Although selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 14th overall pick in the famed quarterback class of 1983, Kelly opted instead to play for the Houston Gamblers of the fledgling USFL.

Kelly starred in the USFL, setting single-season and career touchdown passing marks with 44 and 83, respectively. When the league folded in 1985, Kelly joined the Bills, who retained his rights, and he became one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks.

Kelly and his wife Jill suffered heartbreak in 2005 with the death of their son, Hunter James Kelly, to Krabbe disease. The couple have two daughters; Erin and Camryn.