The 2-year-old was found unresponsive in a swimming pool at the Bills defensive tackle’s Texas home on June 28.
HUFFMAN, Texas — A medical examiner’s report lists accidental drowning in the June 28 death of Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver’s 2-year-old son, adding new information about a loss the family had kept private for nearly two months.
The child, identified in news reports as Ed Oliver III, was found unresponsive in a residential swimming pool at Oliver’s home in the Huffman area northeast of Houston. Harris County sheriff’s deputies responded that evening, and the toddler was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities did not publicly identify the family at the time, and the connection to the NFL player became widely known in late August.
A Montgomery County medical examiner’s report attached to Oliver’s name lists the death as an accidental drowning, The New York Times reported, according to People. Public accounts have not established exactly how the child entered the pool or how long he had been in the water before he was found. Authorities also have not released a full public account explaining the events that led to the drowning.
Deputies were called to the 500 block of Lago Trace Drive shortly after 6 p.m. June 28 after receiving a report of a toddler found unresponsive in a swimming pool, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and local news reports from that night. The child was rushed to a local hospital. Investigators said several family members were at the home, and at least one other child there was not injured. Detectives began working to determine how the toddler reached the pool.
The sheriff’s office did not release the toddler’s identity in its initial announcement. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the death as a tragic incident and said the investigation was continuing. Local authorities released few other details in the weeks that followed. The Houston Chronicle reported Aug. 22 that the child who died at the Huffman-area home was Oliver’s son, Ed Oliver III.
The Buffalo Bills publicly confirmed the death Aug. 22. General manager Brandon Beane said the organization wanted to express its condolences to Oliver and his family. Beane called the loss an “unthinkable tragedy for any parent” and said the Bills would continue supporting Oliver and his family as they grieve.
Oliver and his family have asked for privacy and prayers, according to reports. The 28-year-old defensive tackle reported to training camp on time despite the June death and continued participating in team activities. He appeared with Buffalo’s starters in its preseason-opening 29-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers before later missing practices with an undisclosed injury.
Oliver did not travel with the Bills for their Aug. 22 preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. The team had attributed his absence to an injury, and there has been no confirmed indication that the absence was connected to his son’s death. Buffalo beat Cleveland 31-7 before players and coaches spoke publicly about the loss and their efforts to support Oliver.
Quarterback Josh Allen said after the game that he was grateful to people who had known about the death and allowed Oliver to grieve privately. Allen said he was “very sad and angry” about how the information ultimately became public. He said the team’s focus was on being available to Oliver in whatever way he needed and described his teammate as remarkably strong for continuing through training camp while mourning his son.
First-year Bills coach Joe Brady also emphasized privacy and support. Brady said he could not imagine what Oliver was going through and that his responsibility as a coach was to be there for him. Brady said Oliver’s absence from the Cleveland game was related to his injury rather than the family loss.
Oliver, a Houston native who played college football at the University of Houston, was selected by Buffalo with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He is entering his eighth season with the Bills and has spent his entire professional career with the franchise. His football background became part of the public attention surrounding the case only after the family’s connection to the June drowning was reported.
The reported accidental-drowning finding provides the clearest information released so far about the cause and manner of the child’s death. The circumstances that led to the toddler entering the pool have not been publicly established, and no detailed final investigative account has been released. Oliver’s family continues to seek privacy while the Bills have said they will continue supporting him.
Author note: Last updated August 23, 2026.