He was called an “athletic freak,” the kind of player who made coaches pause and say, “Did you just see that?” Bryan Braman could leap, hit, and move like he was carved from chaos. Coaches marveled at his “breathtaking, jaw-dropping ability” to blow past blockers, a raw gift engineered for impact. But behind the jaw-dropping physicality was a storm far less visible. He wasn’t just fighting for football glory—he was surviving. His mentality wasn’t forged in weight rooms or locker rooms. It came from sleeping in cars, dodging the traps of a broken upbringing, and refusing to surrender it.

Bryan grew up in Spokane’s poorest pocket, Hillyard—father abandoned his family, money was short, hope even shorter. He bounced between motels and couches with his mother and sister, sometimes calling the backseat of a car “home.” At Shadle Park High, he was one of nearly 100 homeless students. But even when he had no bed, he showed up. Hustling. Grinding. A counselor named Anthony “Juju” Predisik spotted his talent—and the burden. “It was himself that was going to hold him back from the opportunities he had and break away from the negatives he had to deal with and pursue the future,” Predisik said.

With Juju’s guidance came a new kind of discipling—mental armor Braman wore as fiercely as shoulder pads. Motivated by “Jujuisms” like “Nothing can affect your state of mind unless you give it permission, and there’s nothing more powerful than a made-up mind,” he clawed his way from junior college to the NFL. He became a Super Bowl champion with the Eagles, a fan favorite, and a father of two. But in 2025, Braman faced a final fight, this time against cancer.

Despite every ounce of defiance in his spirit, the disease won. He passed away this week at 38. Upon finding the news, his friend and former teammate, JJ Watt, broke down in disbelief and paid tribute to his ex-teammate. “Rest in Peace brother,” Watt shared on his social media. “Gone far too soon. 🙏🏻.” Watt and Braman shared the locker room and field on the Texans‘ defensive line, when Braman became a fan favorite on the Texans’ special teams unit during the 2011 season.

This year, when the word broke that Braman was battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer, JJ Watt raised the largest donation at $10,000 to help pay for his medical expenses. JJ and Bryan spent some of the memorable days in Houston while playing together, some of the Texans’ best years in the NFL from 2011 to 2013. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2011, Braman started making an impact at the pro level. The Texans won 22 games in his first two seasons. Watt was the defensive leader, and Braman was the talented rookie, making his way in the pros.

Though he never started an NFL game, Bryan Braman made his presence felt. Whether as a fan favorite on the Texans’ special team unit, or during week 11 of his rookie season, when helmetless Braman ran down the field and tackled the Titans returner Marc Mariani, or his final game in the Super Bowl LII, where he made his sole tackle on special teams, Braman made an impact despite not starting a single NFL game. And now the NFL mourns the loss of the NFL legend.

From Emmanuel Acho to Lane Johnson, the NFL mourns the tragic loss of Bryan Braman

Bryan Braman played 97 career games in the NFL and left with lifetime memories. He spent three seasons with the Texans and four with the Eagles in a career spanning seven seasons from 2011 to 2017. A couple of highlight moments of his career came during his Super Bowl campaign with the Eagles. Bryan went on to block a punt against the Falcons in the divisional round, followed by a tackle in the Super Bowl against the Patriots.

His former Eagles’ teammate Emmanuel Acho took to his official ‘X’ handle and shared a heartfelt clip interviewing him from the Super Bowl night. “Hey man, we started this together, four years ago, man, four years ago. This is crazy,” Braman said during the interview. And today, Acho broke down while sharing this clip on his social media. “I didn’t intend on crying this morning. Then I read the news on my teammate, Bryan Braman,” he wrote. “Love you Braman. You lived a hard life, and you never complained about it. A champion in life and a warrior in death. It is forever, indeed.”

Acho and Braman shared the locker room in Philly during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Though Acho didn’t get an opportunity to lift the Lombardi, years later, he did get the honor of interviewing his former teammate. Besides, the Eagles’ DT and another teammate of Braman, Lane Johnson, summed up what so many felt: “Today is a tough day that hits close to home.”

He wasn’t just talking about a football player; he was honoring a man who rose through hardship, stayed loyal, and never lost his fire. “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,” he continued. The flood of tributes wasn’t just from the locker room. Fans who watched Braman throw his body into every special-teams play remembered him as well.

“RIP Bryan. You’ll always be a champion,” one fan wrote. Another kept it simple, but sincere: “May his soul rest in peace.” Sometimes, less is more. Even the city’s extended sports family paid their respects. The Philadelphia Flyers Podcast posted, “RIP, Bryan. You’ll always be an Eagle. And a champion. Prayers to your family.” It wasn’t about the stat sheet; it was about the imprint he left in a city that respects gifts. Safe to say, Bryan Braman earned something greater than applause: he earned belonging. Rest in Peace, champ.