With about two minutes remaining in the first half of Buffalo’s game against the Carolina Panthers Sunday, the Bills suffered what one analyst called a “disastrous development” when seven-year veteran defensive tackle Ed Oliver left the game with what appeared to be a left biceps injury.
“Beyond this game, this is a disastrous development with the Chiefs up next,” wrote Syracuse.com Bills reporter Matt Parrino.
In his postgame press conference, Bills coach Sean McDermott provided no updates or additional information on Oliver’s injury.
“No, we don’t know anything at this point,” McDermott said, when asked about Oliver.
Oliver Seen With Arm in Sling
But following the game, Oliver was seen entering the locker room at Bank of America Stadium after the game with his left arm tucked inside his sweatshirt, as if in a sling.
NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe later confirmed that Oliver’s arm was indeed, in a sling.
“Bills standout DT Ed Oliver biceps injury is a key one to watch,” Wolfe wrote. “I’m told the injury will force Oliver to miss game action. Tests coming to determine how long.”
After being examined in the blue medical tent on the sidelines, Oliver then went to the locker room and the Bills quickly announced that the 2019 first-round draft pick — ninth overall out of Houston — would not return to the game. The Bills were ahead of the Panthers 12-3 at the time. The Bills ultimately won the game, crushing Carolina 40-9.
The Bills host the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday, November 2.
Possible Distal Biceps Injury to Oliver
Following the game, Oliver took to his social media account to post a picture of himself with the caption, “Me and football like oil and water (right now).” What he meant was not explained, but it was difficult to interpret his message as anything positive.
Dr. Kyle Trimble, a physical therapist who analyzes Bills injuries on his site Banged Up Bills, also said that the loss of Oliver would be “huge.”
Oliver’s “left arm gets caught behind him and extended as he comes through the line,” Trimble wrote describing the circumstances of the injury. “Quickly ruled out, worry for a distal biceps injury due to where he was motioning to. Would be a huge loss.”
The injury would be the second for Oliver this season. He suffered an ankle injury in practice on September 10, causing him to miss four games, finally returning October 13 in the Bills’ surprising 24-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Potential Return For Playoffs?
Dr. David Chao, a former NFL team physician who now posts injury analysis on his social media accounts, gave his view on the Oliver injury — and it was not especially optimistic.
“I suspect it’s a bicep tear, but he will have a chance to return for the playoffs,” Chao posted. “Expect him to land on IR and miss significant time.”
If, in fact, Trimble is correct and Oliver has suffered a distal biceps injury, what does that mean and how long can he expect to be out with his latest health issue?
“Distal biceps tendon injuries can take the form of a partial biceps tendon tear or a complete distal biceps tendon rupture, where the tendon tears away from its insertion point on the radius bone,” according to the Hospital for Special Surgery, a leading orthopedic surgery clinic in New York City.
“Distal biceps tendon injuries often result from a forceful, eccentric contraction of the elbow. This means that the biceps muscle is contracting but the elbow is straightening, resulting in lengthening of the muscle-tendon unit,” the HSS site explains.
Teammate Suffered Similar Injury in 2024
In a 2021 study of 35 NFL players who suffered the injury, published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery by researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 94 percent took an average of 351 days — basically a year — to return to action.
But the study found a variance of about 124 days, which means that in an optimistic scenario, Oliver could be back in roughly eight months.
But Trimble presented an even more optimistic scenario, comparing the potential distal biceps injury to Oliver with one suffered last year by linebacker Matt Milano.
“Milano tore his on August 13 and returned to practice on November 11 ahead of Week 11, returned to play in Week 13 last year,” Trimble recounted.
Ed Oliver Injury Update: Bills Get ‘Disastrous’ News Ahead of Chiefs Game