Ed Oliver Talks After Heartbreaking Death of Young Son

Ed Oliver Asks for ‘Privacy and Prayers’ After Heartbreaking Death of Young Son

The Buffalo Bills organization is rallying around defensive tackle Ed Oliver and his family following the tragic death of his 2-year-old son, Ed, who died June 28 after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool at a residence outside Houston.

Oliver and his family have been privately mourning the loss. A source close to Oliver said the family is asking for “privacy and prayers at this very difficult time.”

The Bills publicly acknowledged the tragedy Saturday, offering condolences and making clear that the organization will continue supporting Oliver and his family.

“On behalf of the entire Buffalo Bills organization, we want to publicly express our condolences to Ed Oliver and his family on the devastating loss of his son,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said. “It’s an unthinkable tragedy for any parent. We will continue to support Ed and his family as we all grieve this tragic loss.”  

Information on the Tragedy

Buffalo had been aware of the incident since it occurred, and Oliver has continued participating in team activities during training camp. According to the information provided, Oliver and the organization were in agreement about when to publicly disclose the circumstances surrounding his son’s death.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded June 28 to what authorities described as an in-progress life-in-danger call.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were told that the parents of a young boy had discovered him unresponsive in a swimming pool at the residence. Emergency personnel transported the child by ambulance to a Houston-area hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:18 p.m.

Authorities did not publicly identify Oliver or his family in their account of the incident. The sheriff’s office also had not provided an updated status on the investigation.

Oliver was not with Buffalo for its preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. The 28-year-old defensive tackle has been dealing with a minor injury, and the Bills had already decided that most of their veteran starters would not participate in the preseason matchup.

A first-round selection by Buffalo with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, Oliver has spent his entire professional career with the Bills after starring at the University of Houston.

Over his first seven NFL seasons, Oliver established himself as an important part of Buffalo’s defensive front, recording 226 total tackles, 32 sacks, 62 tackles for loss, 87 quarterback hits, 11 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries across 105 regular-season games.

Oliver’s best statistical season came in 2023, when he recorded a career-high 9.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits while starting all 16 games he played.

Football Takes a Back Seat

But football has understandably become secondary as Oliver and his family navigate an unimaginable loss.

Oliver also has a daughter, Ava.

For the Bills, the focus remains on providing their longtime defensive lineman with whatever support he and his family need while respecting their request for privacy during an extraordinarily difficult period.