Bryan Braman’s Fierce Cancer Battle Ends: Super Bowl Champion Dies at 38
Okay, I’ll explain, but try to keep up. Bryan Braman, the underdog linebacker who rose from undrafted free agent to Super Bowl champion with the Philadelphia Eagles, passed away on July 16 at age 38 after a relentless fight against brain cancer, his longtime agent Sean Stellato confirmed. Fans of the Eagles and Texans may think they knew his story, but here are the facts you probably missed.
Braman’s journey to the NFL began without the fanfare of a draft selection. He signed with the Houston Texans and spent three seasons proving himself on special teams and as a rotational defender. In 2016, Philadelphia scooped him up, and two years later he cemented his legacy by helping the Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory. Stellato described him to NBC affiliate KPRC 2 as an “enormous human being with an even bigger heart,” adding “his spirit was so motivating” and treating everyone with genuine kindness made him stand out in a league full of talent.
His cancer diagnosis arrived earlier this year in a form so rare and aggressive that it forced him into a 12-week treatment program in February. Supporters set up a GoFundMe to cover medical expenses and a full-time caregiver. Braman underwent CAR T-cell therapy, an advanced approach to reprogram his immune system to attack tumor cells. Despite initial hopes, scans revealed the mass had returned and grown around critical organs. Physicians then prescribed a series of surgical procedures and chemotherapy rounds, but weakened immunity slowed his recovery. The June 20 update on his fundraising page explained that by the time he healed enough to resume treatment, the tumor had already spread.
Throughout this ordeal, Braman refused to give up. His agent noted that Bryan explored every available clinical trial, determined to fight until the end. Yet friends and family watched in sorrow as the disease accelerated. On July 17, Stellato shared through tears, “I feel like I lost my firstborn,” confirming that Braman took his final breath surrounded by loved ones, leaving behind two young daughters, ages 11 and 8.
The football world reacted swiftly. Former Eagles teammate Emmanuel Acho posted on X that he didn’t intend to cry but found himself in tears reading the news. Ex-Texans star J.J. Watt echoed the sentiment, writing “Rest in Peace brother. Gone far too soon.” Their words underscore how Braman’s legacy extended beyond his on-field prowess to the character he displayed in life and in death.
If you thought you had every detail of Braman’s life down, consider this your chance to catch up. Well, now you have the full picture!
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, NBC affiliate KPRC 2, GoFundMe update, Emmanuel Acho’s X post, J.J. Watt’s X post
Attribution: Nick de la Torre (Creative Commons)
