Buffalo Bills rookie Maxwell Hairston walked off the field gingerly following a non-contact injury during practice at St. John Fisher University on Tuesday. Teammate Dane Jackson revealed that the 2025 first-round draft pick went down after a “freak trip up” during drills and seemed to be in considerable pain.
According to NYUP, Bills head athletic trainer Nate Breske promptly attended to Hairston, though details regarding the severity of the injury remain undisclosed.
“We said a prayer for him and tried to uplift him,” said Jackson, adding that they hope to learn more about Hairston’s condition and wish him a speedy recovery. “He has been performing excellently at camp as well.”
Video captured during practice shows Hairston pointing to his right knee before being assisted toward the medical tent. He is currently undergoing evaluations to ascertain the nature of his injury, reported by the Associated Press.
Buffalo cornerback Christian Benford expressed his concern: “I was salty and upset. Hairston is a pure-hearted kid, someone you work closely with, and seeing something like that happen is distressing. You never wish that on anyone, not even your worst enemy. It sickens me.”
A long-term issue for Hairston could severely impact the Bills, particularly given their current lack of depth in defensive positions. He was competing with veteran Tre’Davious White for a chance at a starting cornerback role alongside Benford.
Hairston clocked a remarkable 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in February, securing his first-round pick status as one of the fastest players this cycle. Previously, he was a three-year player at Kentucky, joining Carrington Valentine and Dru Phillips as the third player from the program to leave early for the draft. Hairston recorded six interceptions in his last two SEC seasons, including three that he returned for touchdowns.
The Bills do not practice on Wednesday but will resume training camp later this week. Hairston adds to an already concerning list of players potentially missing time due to injury, including Curtis Samuel, Tyrell Shavers, Terrel Bernard and others.
