As a first-round pick, Maxwell Hairston joined the Buffalo Bills in 2025 with plenty of expectations. He got off to a slow start due to a knee injury that cost him the first six games of the season. He also missed Buffalo’s two playoff games after suffering an ankle injury in their Week 18 win over the New York Jets.
Hairston still showed promise when he was on the field, recording 18 tackles, five pass deflections, and two interceptions in 13 games. This year, however, Hairston has been off to a sluggish start and has been targeted often by opposing quarterbacks.
Things have derailed to the point that Hairston was benched ahead of their Week 5 showdown with the Los Angeles Rams, in favor of rookie Davison Igbibosun. That development has Bill Barnwell naming Hairston among 15 players and coaches who enter Week 6 on the hot seat. As Barnwell points out, the issues really got out of control for Hairston when he had his worst game of the season against the New England Patriots in Week 4.
”This season was supposed to be a fresh start for Hairston, but his first month was a mess. The 23-year-old allowed two touchdown passes in the 29-26 loss to the Patriots, leading defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to publicly encourage Hairston to temper his emotions. Hairston also left the locker room after the defeat without speaking to the media before returning and apologizing a day later,” Barnwell wrote.
Buffalo’s coaching staff continues to support Hairston when asked, but as Barnwell said, “actions speak louder than words.” As he points out, their actions show Hairston being phased out, even though his replacement has had issues of his own.
“Against the Rams on Monday, Hairston's snap share cratered with the return of Christian Benford. The Bills kept Davison Igbinosun in the lineup ahead of Hairston, who played just 15 snaps on defense. Igbinosun committed a pass interference penalty in the red zone and allowed a touchdown catch, which won't help his case, but he still appears to be ahead of Hairston on the depth chart.”
Maxwell Hairston can still turn things around
Giving up on Hairston this early would be a mistake. The Kentucky product entered the NFL with game-changing speed and displayed excellent instincts for the Wildcats. He also flashed during his rookie season.
The problem is that he's dealt with multiple injuries and is learning a new system under defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. This doesn't excuse his struggles, and benching him was absolutely the right call, but considering him a bust would be premature.
Take a look at Keon Coleman as an example. After Coleman was benched last season, there were calls for the Bills to simply move on. Buffalo stayed patient and has been rewarded, with Coleman recording 15 receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns through five games. He might not be the WR1 they hoped for when selecting him in the 2024 NFL draft, but Coleman has found his place in the offense and is producing.
Now, they need to hope for similar growth from Hairston as he attempts to fight out of this slump.
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