Washington, DC -- (Sports Network) - Former Congressman Jack Kemp, remembered primarily during his football days as a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, passed away on Saturday at the age of 73.

Kemp had been diagnosed with cancer in January of this year.

He spent six-plus seasons with the Buffalo Bills and also played for the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1965, he was honored as the AFL's Most Valuable Player after guiding the Bills to their second consecutive championship.

He played in the AFL for nine of the 10 years of its existence and appeared in its All-Star game seven times. Also, he played in the AFL championship game five times and set many of the league's career passing records.

After leaving the NFL, he represented western New York for nine terms as a congressman and left the House in 1988 in an unsuccessful bid for president.

Later, he served as housing secretary under George H.W. Bush's presidency and then left politics after losing the 1996 Vice Presidential election as Republican nominee Bob Dole's running-mate.