Super Bowl Champion Linebacker For The Philadelphia Eagles Dies At 38

Gone too soon.

Former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bryan Braman has died at the age of 38.

Braman, who won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2018, died after suffering from a rare form of brain cancer.

NBC Philadelphia had more details to share on Braman’s death:

Former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bryan Braman died Thursday, following treatment for a rare, aggressive form of brain cancer.

On Thursday, Braman’s agent, Sean Stellato, confirmed to ESPN that Braman died after having multiple surgeries while undergoing cancer treatment in Seattle. He was 38.

Braman had been diagnosed in February.

Stellato said Braman had two daughters, aged 11 and 8.

Braman played for the Eagles for four years, capping his NFL career with the 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52.

On the way to the championship that year, Braman blocked a punt in the divisional round win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Throughout his NFL career, he also played three seasons for the Houston Texans.

The Eagles released a statement on Braman’s death:

The Eagles are saddened to learn of the passing of Bryan Braman pic.twitter.com/5VFJKBKbXZ

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 17, 2025

The Texans, whom Braman also played for, did the same:

We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Bryan Braman. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Braman family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/IZvKptpQNC

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) July 17, 2025

NBC News provided some background information on Braman’s football journey:

Braman played at Long Beach City (Calif.) College at Division II West Texas A&M before signing as an un-drafted free agent with the Houston Texans in 2011.

He established himself as a dependable special teams contributor for three seasons in Houston before moving on to the Philadelphia Eagles for four more campaigns.

“He was awesome, always full of energy,” said Matthew Harper, the assistant special teams coach on Braman’s final squad, the 2017-18 world champion Eagles.

“People loved him for that and he showed the same thing on and off the field.”

Braman’s final professional game came in Super Bowl LII when Philadelphia scored a 41-33 upset victory over the New England Patriots on Feb. 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Braman made a key tackle late in the game to keep New England at bay.

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Down by 8 with a little more than a minute left, the Patriots tried a trick play with Dion Lewis fielding a kickoff and lateraling the ball to Rex Burkhead.

Braman wasn’t fooled by the misdirection and he brought down Burkhead at New England’s 9-yard line.

That poor field position doomed New England, as the Patriots could only reach their own 49 as time expired and Philadelphia hoisted its first Lombardi Trophy.

“If our guys weren’t on their job, that could’ve been a big play and that could’ve changed the whole situation of that game,” Harper said.

In the moment, Braman barely got any recognition for the tackle. His name wasn’t immediately mentioned in the broadcast as legendary quarterback Tom Brady took the field for a last-ditch drive.

“That’s fine because the only thing that really mattered was that people in the building knew how great he was and how much credit he deserved in that play,” Harper said.