Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver is mourning the death of his young son following a tragic swimming pool accident in Texas.
Oliver’s son, also named Ed, was found unresponsive in a swimming pool at a residence in Harris County outside Houston on June 28, just days before the child would have celebrated his second birthday.
The toddler was transported by ambulance to a Houston hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:18 p.m., according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
The tragedy was kept private for nearly two months before becoming public in August.
A source close to Oliver’s family said they are requesting “privacy and prayers at this very difficult time.”
The Buffalo Bills publicly acknowledged the death Saturday after privately supporting Oliver and his family since the June incident.
“On behalf of the entire Buffalo Bills organization, we want to publicly express our condolences to Ed Oliver and his family on the devasting 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.”
The organization had reportedly known about the toddler’s death since shortly after it occurred and worked with Oliver to determine when the information would be publicly disclosed.
Despite the devastating loss, Oliver has continued participating in team activities during training camp.
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the Texas residence on June 28 after receiving a life-in-danger call.
Upon arriving, deputies were informed that the child’s parents had discovered him unresponsive inside the swimming pool.
Emergency responders transported the toddler to a nearby hospital, but he could not be saved.
Authorities did not publicly identify Oliver or his family when initially providing details about the incident.
The sheriff’s office also had not provided a recent update regarding its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
Oliver, 28, did not travel with Buffalo for the team’s preseason matchup against the Cleveland Browns, though his absence was attributed to a minor injury. The Bills had also previously planned to keep most of their veteran starters out of the preseason contest, according to Trending Politics.
The defensive tackle has spent his entire professional football career with Buffalo.
The Bills selected Oliver with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft after his standout college career at the University of Houston.
He has since developed into a prominent member of Buffalo’s defensive line.
Oliver signed a four-year contract extension with the Bills in 2023, keeping him with the franchise that drafted him.
The NFL veteran also has a daughter named Ava.
The Bills organization has emphasized that it will continue providing support to Oliver and his family as they mourn the devastating loss.
The family has otherwise remained private regarding the circumstances surrounding the toddler’s death and has asked for prayers while navigating the tragedy.
