Andy Kent: Kelly was close to being a Raider

Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly revealed Thursday, among other things, that he almost became an Oakland Raider in 1985.

It was after his two-year career with the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League ended with the league folding and the Bills still owning his rights.

"I was a Pittsburgh Steeler and a Raider fan growing up, I always loved the Raiders," Kelly said Thursday. "I could have played for the Raiders in a heartbeat. We tried to work out a trade with the Steelers and the Raiders both, but Ralph Wilson, our owner, would not trade me. He said if he did he'd have to leave the city."

Kelly was at Heritage Palms Golf and Country Club to promote his Drive For Hope charity golf tournament coming in March. The tournament is to benefit Hunter's Hope Foundation, the organization started by Kelly and his wife, Jill, to find a cure for Krabbe Disease, which their 7-year-old son, Hunter, was diagnosed with in 1997.

In a 20-minute span, the 43-year-old Kelly showed why he was such a popular analyst for a couple of years on ESPN after his retirement. Sitting at the head of a long, wooden conference table inside the clubhouse, he offered up these gems:

On what's tougher: losing four straight Super Bowls or losing one like former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino and never making it back.

"What do you think? I'm usually asked if it's better to win one and never get back. I thought Dan was going to be back a bunch of times, but the negative part of Dan going back was he had to go through the Buffalo Bills. And we didn't let that happen."

On why he originally listed Buffalo, along with Green Bay and Minnesota, as one of the teams he did not want to be drafted by coming out of college at the University of Miami:

"If you're a kicker, a punter, a quarterback, the three worst possible conditions are cold, windy weather, and that's exactly what Buffalo had. But to tell you the truth, I think of anybody in the league at the time we came out, myself and John (Elway) probably were the two best guys suited for that weather because of our arm strength. I was always pretty good at throwing a spiral, so in that weather you had to do it. I always jack Dan about this. I tell him, 'You couldn't throw a spiral in Miami. I'd like to see you try in Buffalo.' "

On Brett Favre's streak of 199 consecutive starts, including playoffs:

"I would love to have been his backup. Imagine being Brett Favre's backup. You'd sit there and take notes for 10 years."

Finally, on Deion Sanders saying he can be head coach of the Atlanta Falcons:

"He has no clue, absolutely no clue."

You can e-mail staff writer Andy Kent at ankent@naplesnews.com.