(Content warning: This article contains depictions of alleged sexual assault.)
Buffalo Bills first-round pick Maxwell Hairston is being sued by a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by Hairston in 2021, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
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The alleged incident occurred when Hairston was attending the University of Kentucky. Hairston is accused of allegedly engaging in non-consensual contact with the woman in her dorm room the night of March 24, 2021. After the woman repeatedly turned down Hairston’s advances, he’s alleged to have removed the woman’s pants and sexually assault her.
The woman reported the incident to law enforcement, per her attorneys, and transferred from the school. Hairston was never criminally charged.
Allegations against Hairston emerged after the Bills selected him with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Bills general manager Brandon Beane was asked about those allegations a day after taking Hairston, and said the Bills “fully investigated” it.
“We did a lot of research. I think all teams were aware of the Title IX thing. That was fully investigated by the school. He even volunteered to do a polygraph and had notes. It was one of those where there was zero information saying that this actually happened, to what the accusation was. You can’t take someone’s account and think that’s the truth. But yes, we fully investigated that.”
The alleged incident occurred during Hairston’s freshman year at the University of Kentucky. After redshirting, he played three seasons for the Wildcats, picking up 89 combined tackles, 6 interceptions and a sack before being selected by the Bills in the first round.
Hairston was present at team minicamp in June, though he sustained a hamstring injury during a practice. Beane told reporters Hairston would be “fine” in time for training camp.
