The Long Beach football community suffered a shocking loss earlier this month with the sudden passing of LBCC alum and Super Bowl LII champion Bryan Braman at the age of 38. Braman was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer in February and despite aggressive treatment, declined rapidly before passing away on July 17.
“We’re saddened by the passing of LBCC alum and Super Bowl champ Bryan Braman,” reads an LBCC official statement. His strength and spirit inspired many. Rest in peace.”
Braman leaves behind two daughters, aged 11 and 8. A GoFundMe posted earlier this year raised over $90,000, including a $10,000 donation from JJ Watt, Braman’s teammate on the Houston Texans.
Braman underwent several surgeries in Seattle as well as a form of cell therapy as part of the efforts to save his life.
Braman was a star with the Vikings who went on to a role player career in the NFL with the Eagles and Texans, winning a Super Bowl in Philadelphia.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bryan Braman,” the Eagles said in a statement. “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. 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 was an Eagle for four seasons from 2014-17 as a core member of the team’s special teams, including a critical play during a division round playoff game against the Falcons in the 2017 playoffs. The Super Bowl win that year was the final game of his career, and he had a special teams tackle in the win over the Patriots.
Braman was signed undrafted by the Texans after completing his collegiate career at West Texas A&M, and played three years with the Texans before his four years with the Eagles.
Braman came back and talked to the Vikings team after his career finished. He said that he had come from a blue-collar background in Spokane, WA and planned on getting a railroad job out of high school.
“I actually got a job making concrete railroad ties for a company named CXT. It was backbreaking work for $10 an hour and it was about 75 hours a week. I decided that I deserved an education over a broken back,” he said.
“I decided to go back to school and found my way to Long Beach City College, played two years. There was a real great guy, Bobby King, he came and found me from West Texas A&M from Long Beach City. He recruited me to the panhandle of Texas. I played there for two years. Coach King, fortunately enough, he was brought up onto the staff with Wade Philips when he came to Houston from Dallas and Coach King did a great thing for me and I feel like I owe him a lot. He stood up for me, put his name on the line, told the Houston organization that I’m a good quality guy, that I work hard. I’ve always worked hard for everything I have. So that’s kind of why Houston sits close to my heart, because they gave me a shot when nobody else was really batting an eyelash.”
Braman’s return to LBCC in 2018 was a special day for the Vikings.
“Bryan was just an all-around athlete,” said Jerry Jaso, the coach who recruited him to LBCC. Braman told LBCC’s track coach he could throw javelin and proceeded to throw a state-leading mark on his first try, going on to win a state championship that year. He also cleared 6-foot-11 on his first try at the high jump.
Braman took time to pose for pictures and sign autographs, including one for Vikings lineman Mitchell Kay, a lifelong Eagles fan who came in a jersey, wearing an Eagles Super Bowl champion hat.
Braman said that LBCC was an important stop on his journey.
“The coaches here helped me to focus on my goal and to get my grades right and get ready for life at the next level,” he said. “I would never have made it without them.”
