On Saturday, TMZ reported the heartbreaking news surrounding Buffalo Bills star Ed Oliver. He lost his 2-year-old son in June, just shy of the child’s second birthday. The boy was pronounced dead on June 28 at 7:18 p.m., and Oliver’s family has been carrying that grief ever since. His Bills teammates have been supporting him during an unimaginably difficult time, with quarterback Josh Allen doing the same.

But Allen has also made it clear that he isn’t happy with the growing media attention surrounding the tragedy.

“How it came out makes me very, very sad and angry at the same time,” said Allen, per Matt Parrino of NewYorkUpstate.com. “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.

“It’s no one’s place to really let that out there except him and his family when the time came for it, but we roll now and be there for him as teammates.”

Commenting on the tragedy, local officials said deputies responded to an active life-in-danger call at Oliver’s home on June 28. When they arrived, the boy’s parents told them they had discovered him unresponsive in the swimming pool. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Later, Oliver was seen outside the home talking with law enforcement officers. He eventually broke down in tears.

The Sheriff’s Office has kept the details surrounding the incident limited. It did not disclose the child’s name, age, or gender, nor did it explain how the drowning occurred.

But Allen can only imagine what his teammate is going through.

“It’s very hard to wrap your mind around a teammate going through a situation like that,” he said. “Because you have kids, you understand what that could be like and what that could feel like. You never want to put yourself in that situation or those shoes. He’s a strong man.”

According to NFL Network‘s Cameron Wolfe, Oliver and his family are choosing to keep this painful time private. On Saturday, Wolfe reported that the family is asking for “privacy and prayers” as they navigate an extremely difficult period.

Oliver also has a daughter named Ava.

On the Bills’ end, general manager Brandon Beane shared in an official statement:

“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.”

However, the Bills organization was not learning about the tragedy from the reports. The team had known about the death of Oliver’s son since the tragedy occurred but did not disclose it to the public.

Even head coach Joe Brady shared his grief.

“Ever since I found out the news, I can’t fathom what he’s going through. As a coach and a father, there really aren’t words to describe it. It’s all about us loving him and giving him the privacy that he deserves.

“It’s hard when I see him. I don’t have the words, but all I can do is support him in whatever way he needs.”

Oliver did not attend the Bills preseason clash with the Browns, but he played in the first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. He also reported to training camp on time, despite having lost his son not much earlier.

Ed Oliver was reported to be dealing with an unknown injury recently, and he was absent from recent practices.

An investigation is going on

The Buffalo News first reached out to the Sheriff’s Office on July 29, hoping to obtain more information about the incident. That request was rejected on technical grounds. Undeterred, The Buffalo News filed another request on July 31.

The Sheriff’s Office later responded by sharing a copy of a letter it had sent to the Texas attorney general, seeking approval to deny the newspaper’s request.

Not long after the incident, a video footage surfaced showing Oliver sitting on a curb and speaking with a sheriff’s deputy. However, the Sheriff’s Office has maintained that these records should remain private, as the case is still open, and releasing the information could interfere with the ongoing investigation.

The Bills family is standing by their veteran as he navigates an extremely tough time. Ed Oliver was drafted by the Bills in 2019 and has since become a centerpiece of the defensive line.