
Bryan Braman spent his final moments with his daughters before dying of cancer
The 38-year-old former NFL player, who won his first and only Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018, died on Thursday, July 17, due to 'a rare, aggressive form of cancer,' according to ESPN.
Braman's agent, Sean Stellato, confirmed his death in a phone interview with KPRC 2.
'I got the horrible news early in the morning after one of his best friends reached out and said that he took his last breath while surrounded by friends and family,' Stellato told the news outlet.
He went on to describe Braman as 'unselfish' and 'generous,' even when he didn't need to be.
'Bryan, people saw this enormous human being, but his heart was big as his body. His spirit was so motivating. He was so real and genuine with everybody. That made him special,' he added, per KPRC 2.
In an interview with People, updated July 18, Stellato spoke of how much Braman loved being a father.
'He loved his two girls so, so much. They were everything, his legacy,' he said of the football star's daughters, who 'spent the last two weeks with him when he was dying.'
Braman was a proud girl dad to Blakely, 11, and Marlowe, 8, according to The Guardian.
Braman was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and quickly became a fan favorite for his play on special teams, which had him pegged as a Pro Bowl alternate in 2012, per CNN.
He signed with the Eagles in 2014 and again in 2017, spending a total of four years with the team, according to Pro Football Reference.
In 2018, after beating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, Braman enjoyed a special moment with his agent as they celebrated the win on the field.
'Him and I cried in each other's arms when he won Super Bowl LII on the field. And I was holding his daughter in a photo, which was really cool,' Stellato told People.
He further described Braman as a 'gentle giant,' despite his 6'6'', 250-pound frame.
'He'd be the first one to hold the door for someone, to give a few dollars to someone that was homeless, because he was homeless in his earlier days,' says Stellato.
Braman reportedly sold his vehicle to help pay for treatment
According to The Associated Press, Braman was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
A GoFundMe page, created in February in honor of Braman, confirmed that the Spokane, Washington, native 'is currently fighting a life-threatening cancer that requires an extensive 12-week treatment program.'
'He is required to have a 24-hour caregiver,' the GoFundMe description read.
'He has no home currently as he has had to pay our of pocket for much of his treatment, and even sold his last vehicle to raise the money for the motel fir this week,' the description continued.
In an update on June 20, the organizer of the GoFundMe confirmed that Braman was home with his family after 'undergoing a Car-t cell reprogramming treatment program,' per the page.
The football star underwent multiple surgeries, but the cancer continued to fight back.
'They have tried all of the various treatment options, and unfortunately, none of them are working against this cancer,' the update continued. 'But Bryan has not given up.'
Several teammates and NFL players have donated to the cause, including J.J. Watt, Rasul Douglas, Chris Long, Quandre Diggs, Duane Brown, Brent Celek, Chris Ballard and Brian Cushing.
Braman finished his NFL career with 56 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries in 97 games played over seven seasons. His last game — the Super Bowl win — turned out to be the biggest of his career.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
16 minutes ago
- USA Today
New Orleans Saints schedule visit with former Seattle Seahawks TE Noah Fant
The New Orleans Saints have a thin tight end room, but it may not be done growing, as they have recently scheduled a visit with former Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Fant was a first-round pick back in the 2019 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. While he never really broke out to become the superstar tight end that some projected, he has been a reliable receiving option over the years, which is something that the Saints could greatly use. Over his six years between the Broncos and Seahawks, the 27-year-old averaged 50 catches for 550 yards and 2.5 touchdowns per season. As crazy as it may sound, that would have made him the leading receiver on last year's squad. Starting tight end Juwan Johnson had that exact season with 50 catches for 548 yards and three touchdowns. Fant reportedly also had a visit with the Cincinnati Bengals that was "positive," per Schultz, but he left without signing anything. New Orleans will now have the chance to swoop in and add him, should their meeting go well. Tight end is a massive need, especially for the start of the season. Taysom Hill is still healing from his brutal ACL tear from last year, Foster Moreau is still recovering from a knee injury that has him starting camp on the PUP list and Dallin Holker just recently retired after never recovering from an ankle injury. Johnson, Jack Stoll, Moliki Matavao, Michael Jacobson, Seth Green and Treyton Welch are the current healthy tight end room in New Orleans. Even for a team that is a soft rebuild, that is lacking in playmaking talent to start a season. Fant would be a fantastic addition.


USA Today
16 minutes ago
- USA Today
Should the Seahawks sign DT Christian Wilkins?
The Las Vegas Raiders made a shocking decision on Thursday evening by releasing high-priced defensive tackle Christian Wilkins from his contract. The Raiders' previous regime signed Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million contract last offseason. New decision makers John Spytek and Pete Carroll were displeased with how he approached his recovery from an injured foot, and terminated his contract as a vested veteran to void the remaining $35.2 million of his guaranteed money, per Adam Schefter. Should the Seattle Seahawks consider signing Wilkins when he's healthy? There will be lawyers involved in Wilkins' standoff with the Raiders. As noted by Schefter, the NFLPA filed a grievance on Wilkins' behalf, attempting to help him get his remaining guarantees back. The Pro Bowl-caliber defensive tackle is still recovering from that aforementioned injury, and though there's no definite timeline for his return, Seahawks GM John Schneider could be attentive to his situation. Wilkins was one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the NFL before joining the Raiders last offseason in what became a disastrous tenure. The Seahawks are ultimately pretty deep at defensive tackle. Veterans Jarran Reed and Johnathan Hankins were re-signed earlier this offseason to play next to Leonard Williams this year. Sophomore first-round pick Byron Murphy II is also expected to take a developmental step forward. Wilkins isn't expected to be healthy when Week 1 begins. Perhaps if the Seahawks suffer injuries at defensive tackle (knocks on wood) and Wilkins recovers at the opportune moment, he'll be an option for Schneider to consider. That would require the Seahawks to possess a midseason winning record.


USA Today
16 minutes ago
- USA Today
Why did Jordan Hicks retire? Here's what we know.
Jordan Hicks has a pretty great NFL resume. The linebacker has 614 solo tackles to his name and 16.5 sacks, but there was also that all-important Super Bowl ring he won with the Philadelphia Eagles back in the 2017 season. And now, the linebacker is hanging up his cleats. "Football has given me more than I could have ever imagined," he wrote on Friday morning in a post on Instagram (see below). "Purpose, discipline, brotherhood, and a platform to impact others. But most importantly it showed me who I am outside the game." "I leave this chapter with deep gratitude for every lesson, challenge, and victory," he continued. "I'm proud of what I accomplished on the field, but even more proud of the man I've become because of it." But why would he retire now? Training camp for the Cleveland Browns has begun, and maybe Hicks sees the team might not be that good. Plus, he's 33 years old and he's got 10 years of NFL mileage under his belt. So that could explain it.