Buffalo Bills first-round pick Maxwell Hairston is under scrutiny just weeks before his first NFL training camp, after reports surfaced that the rookie cornerback is facing a civil lawsuit stemming from a 2021 sexual assault allegation.
According to Pro Football Talk, the alleged incident took place while Hairston was still a student-athlete at the University of Kentucky. The lawsuit was filed this week and comes just months after the Bills selected Hairston with the 30th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
NFL analyst Mike Florio noted that while the league amended its Personal Conduct Policy in 2023—limiting investigations into off-field issues that happened before a player was under contract—it doesn’t necessarily mean Hairston is in the clear.
“With Bills first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston facing a civil lawsuit… it’s possible he could still face an investigation or discipline,” Florio wrote in a column for NBC Sports.
As of now, the NFL has acknowledged the lawsuit but has not issued an official comment.
“He wouldn’t have been invited to the combine”: Bills GM opened up on Maxwell Hairston’s controversy
Bills GM Brandon Beane addressed the allegations back in April, when initial reports first hinted at possible legal issues surrounding Hairston.
Beane told reporters that the team was aware of the accusations during the pre-draft process and that both Kentucky and the Bills had done their own due diligence.
“It was one of those where there was zero information saying that this actually happened,” Beane said.
“If there was anything to that, he wouldn’t have been invited to the combine… and he certainly wouldn’t have been at the draft.”
The Bills’ front office is reportedly standing by their decision to draft Hairston—for now. But if the civil case escalates, it could force the NFL’s hand.
The situation puts a cloud over what was expected to be a strong rookie campaign for Hairston. The Bills have been high on his athleticism and physicality after a standout college career at Kentucky. He was expected to compete for a major role in the secondary this fall.
But the lawsuit could derail that, especially if new evidence or public pressure prompts further league action.
Buffalo enters the 2025 season trying to rebound from another AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and while optimism remains high, this off-field development is a major distraction they didn’t plan for.
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