Bryan Braman, the athletic marvel from Shadle Park High School who helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 2018 Super Bowl win, died Thursday morning at the age of 38 from an aggressive form of cancer.
The news was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by Sean Stellato, the agent for the special teams ace who spent seven seasons in the NFL, including four with the Eagles. Braman leaves behind two daughters, ages 11 and 8.
“Bryan, people saw this enormous human being, but his heart was big as his body,” Stellato told KPRC 2 in Houston. “His spirit was so motivating. He was so real and genuine with everybody. That made him special.
“It’s hard. I feel like I lost my firstborn. This kid, he gave me his bed every time I came to Philadelphia. He would threaten me if I didn’t stay with him. That’s something I’ll always cherish. My heart hurts today.”
Braman, a 6-foot-8 high jumper for Shadle Park who also ran the sprint relay, had been diagnosed in early February. His story became public earlier this month when his friend William Jones started a GoFundMe page to help him with expenses.
According to Jones, Braman had undergone multiple surgeries during treatment in Seattle. The GoFundMe for Braman had a stated goal of $25,000 and has raised more than $88,000.
Braman, who played three seasons with the Houston Texans before signing with the Eagles in 2014, won a Super Bowl with the team after rejoining Philadelphia late in the 2017 season. He blocked a punt in the divisional round against the Atlanta Falcons and registered the final special teams tackle of his career in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots, which was his final game.
“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,” the Eagles said in a statement. “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.”
Braman’s rough upbringing saw him bounce from Hillyard to Cheney and back to North Spokane for high school – and included many nights on friends’ couches.
But nobody shined brighter on the field – whether it was football or track.
“If anybody was going to make it of all those I played with or against, it was going to be him,” said Josh Powell, Shadle’s quarterback at the time said in a 2018 interview with The Spokesman-Review. “But my dad said it first. He saw him play freshman year and Bryan didn’t even have cleats. My dad bought him cleats and said, ‘This kid is going to play in the NFL.’
“If we were back in the Roman Empire, he would have been a gladiator.”
After dropping out of the University of Idaho following high school, Braman reverted back to street life – sleeping in his mom’s car and drug bingeing, he told The Spokesman-Review in 2018 – before finally enrolling at Community Colleges of Spokane and eventually landing at West Texas A&M to play football.
He signed with the Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2011.
“You look at his journey and beating the odds to make it to the NFL after going undrafted,” Stellato said. “Not only making it, but producing and becoming a world champion. He had a real hard journey. In life, we all run this race. To die at age 38, the game of football and his family are hurting today. He was a staple for what football and underdogs are about. He was a dream-chaser and a dream-catcher. He’s a Hall of Fame human being.”
Braman’s former Texans teammate J.J. Watt also issued a statement remembering the late linebacker.
“Rest in Peace brother,“ Watt wrote in a post to X. ”Gone far too soon.”
Tribune News Service contributed to this report