John Bramlett facts for kids
| No. 56, 57, 62 | |||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | July 7, 1941 Memphis, Tennessee |
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| Died: | October 23, 2014 (aged 73) Memphis, Tennessee |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Humes (TN) | ||
| College: | Memphis State | ||
| AFL draft: | 1965 / Round: Undrafted | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
John "the Bull" Bramlett (born July 7, 1941 – died October 23, 2014) was an American football player. He played as a linebacker from 1965 to 1971. John played for four different teams during his career. These teams were the Denver Broncos, the Miami Dolphins, the Boston Patriots, and the Atlanta Falcons. He was chosen as an AFL All-Star two times. After his football career, Bramlett became a minister.
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Early Life and College Football
John Bramlett grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a talented athlete at Humes High School. There, he earned honors as an All-State and All-American player. After high school, he played college football at Memphis State University. This school is now known as the University of Memphis. In his final year of college, he was recognized as an honorable mention All-American.
Bramlett first signed a professional baseball contract. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals for a few years. However, he later left baseball.
Professional Football Career
After leaving baseball, John Bramlett signed a contract with the Denver Broncos. This was in 1965. He quickly made a name for himself in the AFL. He was the runner-up for the AFL Rookie of the Year award in 1965. The winner that year was famous quarterback Joe Namath.
Playing for the Dolphins and Patriots
John Bramlett played two seasons with the Denver Broncos. During this time, he made one appearance in the Pro Bowl. He was then traded to the Miami Dolphins. This trade happened in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in 1968. He played two seasons with the Dolphins and made another Pro Bowl appearance.
In 1969, Bramlett was traded again. He went to the Boston Patriots along with quarterback Kim Hammond. In return, the Dolphins received player Nick Buoniconti.
Time with the Patriots and Falcons
While playing for the Patriots, Bramlett was named the team's Most Valuable Player in 1970. He was known for his tough playing style.
Later, Bramlett was traded to the Green Bay Packers. However, he decided not to join the Packers. He was then released by the team before the 1971 season began. The Atlanta Falcons then signed him. He played one season with the Falcons before he retired from football.
John Bramlett is a respected member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
Life After Football
In 1973, John Bramlett became a Christian. He changed his life and became very involved in Christian ministry. He spent many years helping others through his ministry, called John Bramlett Ministries. He lived in Memphis with his wife, Nancy. They had two sons, named Don and Andy.
Two former Dolphins players, Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick, wrote a book called Always on the Run. In their book, they shared some fun stories about Bramlett from their time playing together.
John Bramlett also wrote his own book. It was an autobiography called Taming the Bull: The John "Bull" Bramlett Story. This book was published in 1989. His life story was also shared on a radio show called Unshackled! in 1990.
Death
John Bramlett passed away on October 23, 2014. He died in Memphis, Tennessee.
