It's been a rough couple of years for Jim Kelly.  The legendary Buffalo Bills quarterback has undergone a number of surgeries for oral cancer, the most recent coming in March.

On Monday at his 32nd annual Celebrity Golf Tournament Kelly announced that he will be a recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPY's on July 18th.  Kelly will join former Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett as a recipient of the award.  Everett was paralyzed while making a tackle during a kickoff in the 2007 season opener, but recovered to walk again.

The Jimmy V Award is presented each year to "a member of the sporting world who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination."  The Jimmy V Award is named after college basketball player, coach and broadcaster Jim Valvano who while battling cancer gave an incredible speech at the ESPY Awards in 1993 with the encouraging words, "don't give up.  Don't ever give up."  He died two months later.

Kelly has undergone three major surgeries in the past five years.  The most recent one in March went for 12 hours and he has another surgery coming up on June 21st.  Kelly says his annual football camp for kids is four days later and Kelly says he intends to be there.

ESPN issued a news release on Monday afternoon.

“Jim Kelly truly epitomizes perseverance. We are honored to give him the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance this year as he embodies the determination, strength of character, and spirit of the award.”

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