Saturday’s preseason win over the Browns was overshadowed by the news about Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
Before kickoff, general manager Brandon Beane issued a statement on behalf of the organization following the death of Oliver’s son.
“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 tragic loss,” Beane said.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 22, 2026
Buffalo head coach Joe Brady opened his postgame press conference with Oliver rather than the game.
“As a coach, as a father, it’s my job to be what he needs from me right now,” Brady said. “And that’s loving him and giving him the privacy that he deserves, and whatever it looks like, no matter how someone might want to handle it, it’s however he wants us to handle it.”
Allen, speaking at his locker, said the same thing in quarterback language: there is nothing to fix here, only people to stand next to.
“There’s nothing that you can say to make the situation any better except being there for Ed in whatever way he needs,” Allen said. “As a team, we’re going to continue to love up on him. We want to rally around him to let him know that we have his back and we’re here for him however he needs us. But the way that he’s dealt with it has been unbelievable.”
Oliver is a veteran on the Bills interior and anchor of Jim Leonhard’s new front, a player whose penetration makes the 3-4 look fits work. None of that, however, was focal when news of this personal tragedy broke.
The Bills knew. The locker room knew. And they respected his privacy, because he and his family asked for it. The public response to Oliver’s loss when it came — from Beane’s statement to Brady’s opening words to Allen’s locker-room answer were powerful. It was, in part, due to the unfortunate way in which the news became known.
Buffalo had spent the last two months protecting one of its own. It took a stranger on the internet about ten minutes to undo that.
A self-styled market-tips account and social media engagement farmer decided a grieving father’s worst day was worth a thread, then criticized NFL media for not publishing it sooner. Tony Farmer posted a series of threads on Twitter Friday regarding Oliver’s family tragedy. That led to Farmer calling out NFL media for not telling the public the news sooner while the Bills star and his family grieves.
However, the Buffalo quarterback is one of many upset with Farmer’s handling of the delicate situation. The 2024 NFL MVP ripped the reporter for his actions.
“It’s very sad in how it came out. It makes me very sad and angry at the same time,” Allen said with disbelief Saturday
Oliver’s loss is a sobering one for he and his family, and for his teammates and coaches who love and support him. While the news broke publicly in distasteful fashion, the love the team has for him was evident as was the supportive environment it’s created around him and his family.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Bills’ Joe Brady, Josh Allen show supper to Ed Oliver
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