Earlier this year, Jim Kelly announced that he was cancer-free via Instagram. Over the past several years, Kelly has been battling a rare form of cancer that has developed in his upper jaw and his football family has been there to support him each step of the way. As for his pro football career, Jim Kelly led a franchise to a plethora of Super Bowl appearances but quite couldn't seal the deal to have his name etched in stone and lift the Lombardi Trophy over his head. Despite being known as an explosive basketball player in high school, Jim Kelly wanted to pursue a sports career in football. Penn State University, led by coach Joe Paterno, offered Kelly a scholarship to play linebacker for the institution but Kelly decided to take his talents to the University of Miami from 1979 to 1982. Jim Kelly helped the Hurricanes become one of the most dominant Division I football programs, notching 406 completions, 5,233 total yards, and 32 touchdowns in four seasons with Miami.
In the 1983 NFL Draft, Jim Kelly was selected 14th overall by the Buffalo Bills but refused to sign with the team due to personal reasons regarding the climate and his faith in the organization. This led to Kelly playing two seasons in the USFL with the Houston Gamblers before finally committing to play with the Buffalo Bills in 1986. In the late 1980s and early '90s, Jim Kelly's ability to run the 'no-huddle' offense made the Buffalo Bills one of the most dangerous teams in all of football. As a starter, Kelly led the Bills to eight playoff appearances, six division titles, and four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in a row (Super Bowl XXV-XXVIII). Unfortunately, the Bills were never able to top their championship competition, but with an overall career record of 101 wins and 59 losses, the Bills have never seen a quarterback talent like his since.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.