LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Dressed in a collared shirt and shorts, Joe Ferguson walked easily across the room without a hint of illness, then treated himself to a bite to eat before a celebrity golf event.

Forget golf. Right now, the former Buffalo Bills quarterback looks strong enough to step on

the football field and throw a few long passes.

It's hard to believe this is the same person who was fighting for his life early last year.

After bouts with lymphoma and leukemia, generating support from fans all over the world,

Ferguson is feeling good these days and is almost casual when discussing his health.

"It was kind of strange, because I never thought I was as sick as I was," Ferguson said

Monday. "They kept saying it was pretty bad and pretty serious, but I never felt like it

myself. I never got as worried as some other people did."

Ferguson was a third-round draft pick in 1973 out of Arkansas and went on to play 12 years

with the Bills. In 2005, he was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, an aggressive form of

cancer.

Ferguson underwent chemotherapy, and he says that treatment led to another problem:

leukemia. He was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia about a year and a half ago and was

treated at the intensive care unit at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

With a weakened immune system, Ferguson also fought pneumonia, but all the while, he

expected to pull through.

"I didn't feel great, don't get me wrong, but I never thought I was close to not being

around," Ferguson said.

Eventually, Ferguson started regaining strength. He says the biggest breakthrough came when

his appetite returned and he could start eating better. Now 59, he says the leukemia is in

remission. He and his wife, Sandy, live in northwest Arkansas, not far from where he played

college football for the Razorbacks.

Frank Broyles, who coached Ferguson at Arkansas, was also on hand Monday at the Pat

Summerall Celebrity Classic in western Little Rock. Broyles is impressed with his former

quarterback's progress.

"He has done the things you need to do when you have an illness," Broyles said. "He's gone

to doctors, he's taken the treatment, and he's done everything they've asked him to do and

he's improved dramatically. We're excited and pleased about that."

Along the way, Ferguson heard from well-wishers all over the world, including many Bills

and Razorbacks fans.

"A kid in Iraq saying, "You were my hero.' I mean, how do you take that?" wondered Sandy

Ferguson. "He had a lot of people praying for him. It was overwhelming. ... We're very

thankful."

Now Ferguson is looking forward to watching the Razorbacks this season — and trying

to maintain his improved health.

"I've been getting checkups every three months, and my blood count's staying good and all

that," he said. "Trying to eat better and exercise and do the right things. We're doing fine."