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Bills Announce Maxwell Hairston Injury Update on Wednesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 1:04 PM ET

The Buffalo Bills enter Week 8 coming off their bye week, looking to regain rhythm after suffering consecutive losses. Sitting at 4-2, they’ve shown flashes of their best form on both ends of the field but have struggled with injuries that have disrupted their defensive rotation.

One name missing since training camp has been rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who suffered a knee injury before the season began. The first-round pick was expected to play a key role in Buffalo’s secondary, but his absence has forced the team to rely on a thin cornerback rotation.

Ahead of their matchup with the Carolina Panthers, the Bills provided an update regarding his addition to the lineup.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston.Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images

Hairston sustained a sprain to his lateral collateral ligament (LCL) on July 29 during training camp and was placed on injured reserve before the start of the regular season. He has spent the past several weeks rehabbing while working individually on the practice field.

The Bills officially opened his 21-day return-to-practice window on Monday, signaling that he could be back in uniform before Week 10. And on Wednesday, head coach Sean McDermott confirmed that Hairston will return to practice as part of the team’s plan to activate him from injured reserve.

We’re live with Sean McDermott as he meets with the media ahead of today’s practice.#GoBills | #BillsMafia https://t.co/ao0WxumXnj
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 22, 2025

The update is welcome news for a Buffalo defense that has struggled at times at cornerback this season. Hairston, selected No. 30 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Kentucky, recorded 71 solo tackles, six interceptions and three defensive touchdowns in 32 collegiate appearances.

On Tuesday, Hairston also shared an encouraging message about his recovery, saying, “(Monday) felt great. So excited to be back on the field. This is all I care about, is just being with my teammates, being a part of the team, and doing whatever I can to help the team” (h/t Katherine Fitzgerald of Buffalo News).

With Hairston trending toward availability, the Bills will hope he can help solidify their secondary when they visit the Panthers (4-3) in Week 8. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday, airing on Fox.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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