PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Former Eagles linebacker Bryan Braman, a member of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl 52 championship team, has died at 38 after fighting a rare form of cancer.
Braman was diagnosed earlier this year and had multiple surgeries in recent months in an attempt to treat the illness. He died Thursday morning, according to a statement issued by the team.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bryan Braman,” the team said. “During his four seasons in Philadelphia, Bryan was a loyal teammate, a supporter of the community, and a valuable member of our Super Bowl LII-winning team. More importantly, he was a devoted father who passionately loved his family and everyone around him. We extend our deepest condolences to Bryan’s family and all who are grieving his loss during this difficult time.”
Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Texans in 2011, Braman played seven seasons in the NFL. He spent his first three in Houston and last four in Philadelphia.
Braman had two separate stints with the Eagles, from 2014 to 2016 and in the last couple months of 2017. He was fearless on the field, especially on special teams. A native of Spokane, Washington, Braman overcame homelessness and drug abuse and later became a Super Bowl champion.
His second stint with the Eagles started in December of that Super Bowl season. It included tipping a punt in the 15-10 divisional round win over the Falcons. The blocked punt led to the Eagles kicking a field goal right before halftime to cut the deficit to 10-9.
“It was my turn, my play,” Braman told reporters a week before that season’s NFC championship game, “and I was just happy that I was able to get my fingers on the ball and put my team … in the right position to actually put three points up on the board, which ultimately came down to the end of the game, whether or not [the Falcons] were going to kick a field to win the game or they were have to get into the end zone to the win the game.”
The Falcons had the ball deep in Eagles territory late in the fourth quarter down five, needing a touchdown. Matt Ryan threw an incomplete pass to Julio Jones and the Eagles advanced. If the three points that came after Braman’s blocked punt never happened, maybe Atlanta would have been down two points instead, needing just a field goal.
History — in this case, the eventual Super Bowl LII victory — could have been very, very different.
Super Bowl LII was Braman’s last game in the NFL after parts of seven seasons. He had a special-teams tackle with just under a minute left in that game as New England was about to start its final drive.
Braman had 56 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks and two fumble recoveries in 97 career games.
Upon arriving at the Eagles in 2014, Braman told the team’s website that a college coach, Bobby King, was influential in his getting an opportunity to make the NFL with the Houston Texans in 2011. King is currently the Eagles inside linebackers coach.
A GoFundMe set up for Braman during his cancer battle has raised more than $88,000. He is survived by two young daughters.