Former NFL linebacker and Long Beach City College alumnus Bryan Braman died Thursday at the age of 38 after battling a rare form of cancer.
Braman played two seasons at LBCC after transferring from the University of Idaho, then went on to a 7-year NFL career despite going undrafted.
He made the final tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles in their Super Bowl LII victory in 2018.
Braman returned to LBCC less than a month after the Super Bowl win and credited the coaching staff for helping him achieve his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL.
“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,” Braman told The 562 during his visit. “I would never have made it without them.”
He was also on the LBCC track and field team, where he participated in the javelin and high jump events.
“Rest Easy Bryan,” LBCC’s football program wrote in a post on X. “LBCC Vikings Legend.”
Braman, who was born and raised in Spokane, Washington, played four seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles and three seasons with the Houston Texans.
Braman was “a loyal teammate, a supporter of the community, and a valuable member of our Super Bowl LII-winning team,” the Eagles said in a statement posted to X. “We extend our deepest condolences to Bryan’s family and all who are grieving his loss during this difficult time.”
Braman’s former teammates, including J.J. Watt and Emmanuel Acho, also paid homage to him on social media.
His agent, Sean Stellato, told a Houston television station that Braman “was a staple for what football and underdogs are about.”
“[In] Bryan, people saw this enormous human being, but his heart was as big as his body,” Stellato told the news station. “His spirit was so motivating. He was so real and genuine with everybody. That made him special.”