Former Texans and Eagles Linebacker Bryan Braman Has Died After His Battle With Cancer

Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans linebacker Bryan Braman has died. The linebacker, who was also on a winning team in the Super Bowl at one point, was 38 years old. According to 6ABC Philadelphia, the former NFL player underwent surgeries in Seattle, Wash. But what was Bryan Braman's cause of death? That's what many fans want to know.

Although Bryan was reportedly diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, there are still questions from many about what, exactly, led to his death. Per Bleacher Report, Bryan played three seasons with the Eagles and, after that, he spent four with the Texans before his retirement from the sport. On July 3, 2025, Bryan's agent Sean Stellato shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) to ask for donations to help Bryan during his fight at the time. He wrote, "Prayers and positive thoughts mean the world."

Although Bryan was transparent about his battle with cancer, the exact cause of his death has not been revealed. However, according to ESPN, Bryan died after receiving treatments and surgeries related to his cancer. Per the New York Post, Bryan was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in February 2025. From there, he began extensive treatments to battle the illness.

It's possible that the cancer spread to other parts of his body, which can cause the body to shut down. Per the National Institute of Health, a common cause of death among patients with a cancer diagnosis is when cancer spreads to other parts of the body and to their organs.

According to a GoFundMe that was set up for Bryan, his form of cancer was extremely rare. The GoFundMe mentions Bryan undergoing CAR-T treatment. The fundraiser says he also began to undergo chemotherapy treatments. According to the Mayo Clinic, CAR-T treatment is often used for various types of lymphoma, myeloma, and leukemia.

Per the National Organization for Rare Disorders, refractory mantle cell lymphoma, which falls under the CAR-T treatment, is a rare form of cancer. It is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and typically affects men over the age of 60. While that means it may not be the form of cancer Bryan had, it's possible that he was diagnosed with something similar prior to his treatment and death.

Even before Bryan's death, his family had a GoFundMe set up to help with the cost of living, hospital bills, and day-to-day life while they supported Bryan in treatment. By the time Bryan died, the GoFundMe had raised more than $88,000. The last update on the fundraiser before his death was made on June 20, 2025.

"At this point Bryan has had to start having chemo treatments that are designed for the treatment program Bryan is in," the update said. "Bryan has had to undergo several surgical procedures. The main problem has been that Bryan has not been able to recover from the procedures because of his lowered immunity due to all of these treatments. By the time he was able to recover so he could continue with the chemo, the cancer has grown exponentially faster, and is now growing around his vital organs."