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Bryan Braman, known for his role as a defensive end in the NFL and a member of the Philadelphia Eagles team that won Super Bowl LII, passed away at the age of 38 after dealing with a rare and aggressive cancer.
His agent, Sean P. Stellato, confirmed his death Thursday.
The Spokane, Washington native leaves behind two daughters.
Braman, who played as an edge rusher throughout his career, attended three different colleges before playing professionally for the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, and two separate periods with the Eagles. He was notable for his contributions on special teams, including blocking a punt in a divisional playoff game.
The Eagles’ Super Bowl LII victory in February of 2018 was his final appearance in the NFL.
In February, Braman was diagnosed with an unspecified illness, which was later disclosed through a GoFundMe campaign created to assist with his medical bills. Former teammate JJ Watt generously contributed $10,000, while others like Emmanuel Acho helped raise awareness through social media.
Bryan Braman, the former NFL linebacker and member of the Super Bowl LII-champion Philadelphia Eagles , has died from a rare form of cancer at 38
A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise money for Braman’s cancer treatment
A June 20 update by organizer William Jones explained that ‘Bryan is home with his family after undergoing a Car-t cell reprogramming treatment program in Seattle.’
Initially the Car-t cell reprogramming appeared successful and his cells started ‘reproducing within his bone marrow,’ according to Jones. But while the mass began shrinking, the ‘cancer started fighting back,’ Jones explained.
‘Bryan has not given up,’ Jones wrote. ‘He is looking into other trial treatment programs, and is determined to never give up.’
The GoFundMe campaign raised nearly $90,000 for Braman.
‘At Stellato Sports, Bryan Braman has always stood for strength, resilience and leadership,’ Stellato told KPRC 2 in Houston prior to his death. ‘He is a pillar and a staple of the underdog.’
Although he went undrafted out of Idaho in 2011, Braman developed a bit of a cult following as a special teams contributor in Houston, blocking several punts, including one for a touchdown. He was named as a Pro Bowl alternate in 2012.
Braman moved on to Philadelphia in 2014 and New Orleans in 2017, but suffered an injury and was placed on injured reserve before being released.
That proved fortuitous for Braman, who signed with the Eagles in December before blocking a punt from the Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Bosher in a 15-10 divisional-round playoff win.
Braman later recorded a single tackle in the Eagles’ 41-33 Super Bowl LII win over the New England Patriots in February of 2018.
Braman is pictured with his children after Super Bowl LII, which turned out to be his last game
But his biggest contributions for the Eagles may have come in the locker room, according to former teammate Chris Long.
‘… we had a guy named Bryan Braman, special teams guy, looks like he’s in a biker gang, long hair,’ Long told the Ryen Russillo podcast in 2020.
‘Bryan Braman was an absolute psychopath and he was like our cameo speech guy. And sometimes he would just, real impromptu, start screaming and looking like a fucking hedgehog, knocking shit over in the locker room, eyes bulging out of his head.
‘And, of course, he did look like a Sons of Anarchy dude so you were like, yeah, I’m listening. But Braman got going Super Bowl Sunday and I was like, “Yeah, you got it, bro.”
Since then, Braman has cameo’d in a Jake Miller country music video, while making the occasional public appearance at celebrity flag football or basketball events.
