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Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s cancer battle reached a critical stage on Wednesday, with a 12-hour surgery intended to remove recurring cancer cells from his head and neck and to reconstruct his jaw. Doctors deemed the procedure to be a success.

“We successfully removed Mr. Kelly’s cancer from his upper jaw and lymph nodes from his neck,” Dr. Mark Urken said in a statement, via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. “We then reconstructed his upper jaw. Mr. Kelly is resting comfortably post-operatively.”

The surgery entailed removing a portion of Kelly’s fibula in an effort to rebuild his upper jaw, along with the removal of cancer cells and lymph nodes.

Jill Kelly said in a statement that the recovery process for her husband will be “extensive.” He’ll be hospitalized for at least a few weeks.

We extend our best wishes to Kelly, a Bills legend who led the team to four straight Super Bowl appearances, and who entered the Hall of Fame in 2002.