[2] Kelly was a successful collegiate quarterback at the University of Tennessee from 1988–1991 under head coach Johnny Majors.
The Vols trailed at one point 31–7 before Kelly helped instrument a comeback to beat the Fighting Irish.
[7][8] He previously played for the Charlotte Rage (1993, 1995–96), Nashville Kats (1997–2001), Dallas Desperados (2002), Detroit Fury (2003–2004), Kansas City Brigade (2006), and Utah Blaze (2006).
On Friday, April 27, 2007, in a 72–57 home loss to their division-mate, the Georgia Force, Kelly joined Aaron Garcia, Clint Dolezel, and Sherdrick Bonner as the only quarterbacks in professional football history to throw for over 800 career touchdowns.
[9] On December 6, 2007, Kelly was named the head coach of the proposed new All American Football League's Tennessee team.