Ed Oliver Injury Update After Pregame Hip Problem Makes Him Inactive for Bills' Win

Buffalo Bills' first-year head coach Joe Brady was forced to face a curveball fewer than two hours prior to Thursday night's kickoff in Orchard Park.

Knowing the Bills would be without defensive lineman TJ Sanders, who was officially listed as questionable on the final Week 2 injury report, Brady suddenly needed to make a decision on veteran Ed Oliver.

After earning a Week 1 game ball for his efforts against his hometown Houston Texans, Oliver was not one of six players listed on the Bills' official injury report leading up to the September 17 primetime home opener. Although he was fighting through an undisclosed injury late in the summer, Buffalo's 2019 first-round draft pick appeared fine physically as the regular season kicked off.

Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (91) reacts after a recovery during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While warming up prior to the inaugural Highmark Stadium game, however, Oliver encountered a hip problem only minutes before the Bills were required to declare their game day inactives.

From Prime Video footage that was shown with a 6:38 p.m. ET timestamp, it appears as if Oliver tweaks something in the area of a right hip flexor while working on his get-off at the goal line.

Although Oliver appeared to be in only minor discomfort, it was obviously enough to convince Brady to play it safe by scratching him from the lineup. With inactives due 90 minutes prior to kickoff (approximately 6:45 p.m.), the rookie head coach chose to call versatile veteran Mike Danna into action. In what is only my personal opinion, I think the Bills push the envelope and play Oliver if this were a playoff game.

Down to four defensive linemen, the Bills simply needed another body with the ability to flip inside and join forces with fellow edge rusher Michael Hoecht. Danna wound up logging eight defensive snaps for Buffalo in the 41-31 win.

“It probably wasn't the plan for them to play as many plays as they were going to have to play, but neither of them blinked," said Brady. "Mike Danna goes from thinking he's inactive, to 'hey, I got to get ready to go.' And just pull him out of a tub, and you got to go put a jersey on and play, and he was ready to rock."

Injury outlook for Ed Oliver

The Bills officially announced Oliver's hip injury when the inactives list went public at 6:48 p.m.

Prime Video cameras showed Oliver standing normally on the sidelines at different points throughout the game, and multiple indications hint that he did not suffer a long-term injury.

Suggesting Oliver's absence was primarily a precautionary measure taken by Brady, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport provided a brief on-air update during Friday morning's programming.

"The hope, again, is that this is not a significant injury for Oliver," said Rapoport.

From @SportsCenter: The #Bills got good news on WR DJ Moore, who suffered an AC joint sprain. Plus, the latest on DT Ed Oliver. pic.twitter.com/PetbM8RDCL
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 18, 2026

Brady is scheduled to address reporters later today in Orchard Park. While the rookie head coach has been tightlipped with injury information, he could be asked to provide insight on how the unexpected occurrence unfolded.

The 28-year-old Oliver missed voluntary OTAs this past spring due to a knee injury that he described as a "little oops oops."

Hip flexors, presuming that's the current issue, can cost players anywhere from one to three games, but the 10-day respite could work in Oliver's favor in terms of his potential availability when the Bills host the Los Angeles Chargers for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff on September 27 in Week 3.

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