While the Buffalo Bills destroyed the Cleveland Browns 31- 7 in their second preseason game on August 22, tragic off-the-field news cast a dark cloud over the matchup.
Ed Oliver’s son, also named Ed, drowned in a swimming pool at the defensive tackle’s Houston home on June 28, multiple reports confirmed on Saturday. TMZ reported, “When first responders arrived, they were told the child’s parents had found him unresponsive in the pool.
“The toddler, who was just shy of his second birthday, was rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:18 PM.”
Oliver, 28, reported to training camp and only recently missed time due to a minor injury. After the heartbreaking news leaked, Bills quarterback Josh Allen broke his silence on his longtime teammate’s unspeakable tragedy and how the team has dealt with the news privately.
Josh Allen Is ‘Angry’ About How New of Ed Oliver’s Son Broke, But Also ‘Very Sad’ Over the Tragedy
GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen sends an emotional message on Ed Oliver following the loss of his son.
“How it came out makes me very, very sad and angry at the same time,” the 30-year-old quarterback, who recently became a new dad after welcoming a baby girl with wife Hailee Steinfeld, told reporters, per Syracuse.com’s Matt Parrino.
“I can’t imagine what he’s going through, but the way that he’s dealt with it has been unbelievable,” he added.
Oliver also shares a daughter, Eva, with his longtime partner, Dymond Gladney. She posted an adorable video of Oliver with their late son petting a horse in February.
“What we’ve been doing is giving him his space and time, but at the same time being around him, loving up on him, but not trying to do anything to reopen that,” Allen said. “Just guys being around him and putting their hand on him and not having to say too much. But I got your back.”
Bills general manager Brandon Beane shared in a statement on 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. It’s an unthinkable tragedy for any parent. We will continue to support Ed and his family as we all grieve this loss.”
Ed Oliver Explained How Becoming a Parent Changed His Perspective as a Team Leader
Speaking to reporters after practice in September 2025, the Bills’ first-round pick from the 2019 NFL draft spoke about becoming a father. Oliver signed a four-year, $86 million extension with Bills in June 2023.
“I really attest a lot of my maturity and just my growth to my kids,” Oliver told reporters. “Having kids and having to be the head of a household and a leader and trying to guide them you know that that’s kind of then trickled over into football.
“Then, I got to become more patient and more, I guess, more observant and paying attention to different things. I can attest… I don’t know what specifically they do, but they got a weird way of making you grow up real fast.”
Bills QB Josh Allen Breaks Silence on Ed Oliver’s Son’s Heartbreaking Death