Buffalo Bills player Ed Oliver is mourning the loss of his 2-year-old son, Ed, who died in an accidental drowning early in the summer.
The toddler was found unresponsive in a swimming pool on June 28, 2026, at a home outside Houston. Authorities said he was rushed to a nearby hospital shortly after 7:15 p.m., but sadly, he did not survive.
While Oliver and his family did not publicly reveal his son’s death, the Bills addressed the loss on Saturday, Aug. 22. General manager Brandon Beane offered his condolences to the family with a touching message.
“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.”
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 22, 2026
The defensive tackle has continued to participate in team activities throughout training camp. The Bills have known what Oliver was going through since the incident occurred, according to ESPN.
Ed Oliver grew up in Houston and later played college football at the University of Houston from 2016 to 2018. During his three seasons with the Cougars, he recorded 192 tackles and 13.5 sacks before declaring for the NFL Draft.
Buffalo selected the 28-year-old with the ninth overall pick in 2019. He has spent all seven seasons of his NFL career with the Bills.
In September 2025, Oliver opened up about how becoming a dad had changed him both personally and professionally.
“I really attest a lot of my maturity and just my growth to my kids,” he said during a press conference. “Having kids and having to be the head of a household and a leader and trying to guide them, you know, that’s kind of then trickled over into football.”
He also credited fatherhood with teaching him patience and making him more observant, adding, “I don’t know what specifically they do, but they got a weird way of making you grow up real fast.”
In addition to his late son, Ed, Oliver shares a daughter named Ava with his longtime partner, Dymond Gladney.
