Heartbreaking New Details Emerge About the Death Of Bills Star Ed Oliver’s 2-Year-Old Son

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Ed Oliver hasn’t played in either of Buffalo’s first two preseason games this summer. The real reason behind his absence became public this weekend.

The Bills confirmed Saturday that their longtime defensive tackle is mourning the death of his 2-year-old son, also named Ed. The tragedy occurred in late June, though the family had kept the news private in the weeks since.

General manager Brandon Beane addressed the loss directly in a statement released Saturday.

“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,” 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.”

The Incident Occurred At The Family’s Texas Home

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to an in-progress life-in-danger call on June 28 at the Oliver family’s home in the Huffman area near Houston.

Deputies were told the child’s parents had found him unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool. Doctors pronounced him dead later that evening, per ESPN.

Oliver and the Bills organization made a joint decision on the timing of Saturday’s announcement, according to ESPN’s reporting.

The DT has continued to participate in training camp activities throughout the summer, and the team has said that he and his family are asking for privacy and prayers during this difficult time.

Oliver Has Spent His Entire Career In Buffalo

Oliver, 28, has anchored Buffalo’s defensive interior since the Bills drafted him ninth overall out of Houston in 2019.

He’s totaled 30 career sacks, 56 tackles for loss, and 76 quarterback hits from the defensive tackle position, establishing himself as one of the more productive interior pass rushers in the league despite never earning All-Pro or Pro Bowl recognition.

Oliver did not travel with the team for Saturday’s preseason game against the Browns in Cleveland, a decision the Bills had previously attributed to a minor injury, as they rested most of their veteran starters. Head coach Joe Brady had mentioned Oliver among the team’s injured players earlier in the week without providing further detail.

The Bills organization has continued to rally around Oliver in the days since the announcement, with players and coaches across the league also extending condolences. The team has not indicated when Oliver is expected to return to game action as the 2026 season approaches.

Oliver also has a daughter named Ava.