Ed Oliver’s son died after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool at the family’s Texas home in late June.
HUFFMAN, Texas — The 2-year-old son of Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver died in a drowning at the family’s home near Houston on June 28, with reports citing medical examiner information that classified the death as accidental.
The child, identified in news reports as Ed Oliver III, was found unresponsive in a residential swimming pool in the Huffman area of Harris County. Emergency responders took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities did not publicly identify the family when the incident occurred, and the connection to the NFL player became widely known nearly two months later.
The Houston Chronicle reported Saturday that the toddler who died in the June swimming pool incident was Oliver’s son. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office had released limited information on the night of the drowning, saying a toddler had been taken to a hospital after being found unresponsive in a pool. Authorities said at the time that the investigation was continuing.
Reports published after the child was identified said medical examiner information listed drowning as the cause of death and classified the manner of death as an accident. Publicly available accounts have not established exactly how the boy entered the pool or how long he had been in the water before he was found. Oliver and his family have not released a detailed public account of what happened.
The Buffalo Bills publicly confirmed the death of Oliver’s son on Aug. 22. General manager Brandon Beane issued a statement on behalf of the organization expressing condolences to Oliver and his family. Beane called the loss an “unthinkable tragedy for any parent” and said the Bills would continue to support the family as they grieve.
Oliver and his family have asked for privacy and prayers, according to reports. The defensive tackle had continued participating in football activities after the June death, including reporting for training camp and appearing with Buffalo’s starters during the team’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers.
Oliver later missed practices because of an undisclosed injury and did not travel with the Bills for their Aug. 22 preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Team officials had identified him as injured before the details about his son became public. There has been no confirmed indication from the Bills that his recent football absence was connected to the family tragedy.
After Buffalo’s preseason win over Cleveland, members of the organization publicly expressed support for Oliver. The team’s focus remained on giving him and his family space while they mourn. The Bills have not released additional details about the child’s death beyond their statement of condolences.
Oliver, 28, is entering his eighth NFL season. Buffalo selected the former University of Houston standout with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. His professional career has been spent entirely with the Bills, where he has been a regular presence on the defensive line when healthy.
The child’s identity was not released by authorities at the time of the June incident, and several circumstances surrounding the drowning have not been made public. The reported accidental-death finding provides additional information about the cause and manner of death, but authorities have not released a full public account of the events leading up to the incident.
As of Sunday, no further official findings about the circumstances of the drowning had been announced. Oliver’s family continues to seek privacy, while the Bills have said the organization will support him and his family through their loss.
Author note: Last updated August 23, 2026.