Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver believes there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. Nearly three months after he was arrested in Houston, Oliver spoke with reporters for the first time since the charges against him were dropped, sharing perspective he says he has gained.
“Like right around the time that happened it was right around the same time as George Floyd and all that stuff was happening,” Oliver said Monday. “It really puts things into perspective, like that could’ve been me. If I wasn’t just like ‘yes sir, no sir’ and just complied, all it [would’ve taken] for me to move the wrong way and that could’ve been me.”
Ed Oliver was arrested eight days before George Flloyd was murdered. As he watched the country react to what happened in Minneapolis, his perspective changed @WKBW pic.twitter.com/2cOsvgjYJ9
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) August 10, 2020
Oliver, who was charged with driving while intoxicated and unlawfully carrying a fire-arm, said the situation left him feeling violated. After he was arrested, he spent the night in custody until he was released the following morning.
“You get stripped down, you get put in a jumpsuit. My jumpsuit had like holes by your private parts and these slippers. I didn’t feel right. I feel like I shouldn’t be doing this. I didn’t work my life and walk the straight line my whole life to be put in this jumpsuit and taken to jail for what?”
He said once he was released from custody, he went and got a blood test, proving he had nothing in his system. The next day Oliver had scheduled meetings with his coaches and teammates. He said he explained the situation and had support from plenty of people, but some seemed to be skeptical.
“I feel like nobody believed me,” Oliver explained. “I feel like I was guilty until proven innocent and not innocent until proven guilty.”
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].