"Special" Eagles Player Dies Of Rare Cancer at 38

Bryan Braman, once known as the “craziest special teamer in the NFL,” for making a tackle without a helmet and his passion for playing the game, died at the age of 38 from a rare form of brain cancer on Thursday.

His passing was confirmed by his agent, Sean Stellato, revealing to ESPN that Braman was diagnosed with a “rare, aggressive form of cancer” in February. Stellato said a GoFundMe page had raised more than $88,000 for Braman’s medical expenses, helping cover multiple surgeries. Reports indicate that several former teammates contributed, including J.J. Watt, who gave $10,000, and former Eagles Rasul Douglas, Brent Celek, and Emmanuel Acho.

Braman had been receiving treatment in Seattle and was surrounded by friends and family at the time of his death, per Stellato. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news..

“Today is a tough day that hits close to home,” Eagles right tackle wrote on X. “I always admired Bryan’s ability to overcome life’s obstacles, his passion for the game, and the love he had for his friends and family. Rest in peace, Brother.”

Braman overcame several challenges in his life, including as a homeless youth in Spokane, Wash., to being kicked out of two colleges, including West Texas A&M when he was suspended after being charged with charged with manufacturing a controlled substance – psilocybin, a hallucinogen found in mushrooms. He was never criminally charged, but it meant having to enter the league as an undrafted free agent.

Signed by the Houston Texans, he immediately made his mark on special teams, once making a tackle even though his helmet had been dislodged. After three seasons, the Eagles signed Braman on the same day the team signed Chris Maragos. The two special-team stalwarts helped give the Eagles, under Chip Kelly, the best specialty units in the NFL.

In Braman’s first season with the Eagles in 2014, he helped the Eagles block four punts, three of which were returned for touchdowns. He was released following the 2016 season. He went to the Saints, but New Orleans released him late in the season, and the Eagles brought him back in December 2017.

Once again, Braman wasted little time making an impact. In the Divisional round of the playoffs, the Eagles’ first game as the No. 1 seed, he was responsible for the Atlanta Falcons’ first touchdown when he didn’t hear teammate Kenjon Barner yelling, “poison, poison, poison.” The ball hit Braman, and Atlanta recovered.

Braman made up for the mistake just before halftime when he got a fingertip on a punt that led to the ball traveling just 22 yards. Initially, he was called for running into the punter, but the call was overturned when replay showed Braman had clipped the ball. The play led to a 53-yard field goal from Jake Elliott as time expired in the second quarter, sending the Eagles into the locker room trailing just 10-9 but with momentum that helped carry them to a hard-fought 15-10 win.

Weeks later, in the Eagles’ 41-33 Super Bowl win over the Patriots, Braman blew up a double-reverse try New England attempted on the kickoff following the Eagles opening up a 41-33 lead.

Braman wasn’t fooled and he tackled Rex Burkhead for a one-yard loss, forcing Tom Brady to set up the offense at his own 9-yard line with 58 seconds to play. Bardy managed to get his offense near midfield for one final Hail Mary that landed incomplete and the Eagles celebrated their first Super Bowl.

Braman played in 97 career games and played more than 80 percent of the special teams snaps in all four years with the Eagles.