- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 734,311
- Reaction score
- 52
Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman while both were students at the University of Kentucky, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.
The plaintiff alleges that in 2021, Hairston followed her to her dorm room uninvited, ignored repeated refusals for sexual contact, and “forcibly removed” her pajama bottoms before assaulting her.
Hairston, 21, has not been charged with a crime.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane was asked about the allegations following the team's selection of Hairston with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft in April.
"He's an impeccable kid," Beane said. "We've done 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.
"Just like anything in this world, you can't just take someone's accounts and think that's the truth. Yes, we fully investigated that. If there was anything to that, he wouldn't have been invited to the combine. He was at the draft. Every person you talk to at Kentucky − teammates, staff there, plus what we've done − I would say this is a heck of a young man," Beane added. "That's unfortunate when things like that are attached to someone's name. In this case, there doesn't seem to be anything there."
The Lexington Police Department told ESPN that it had no report matching the allegations against Hairston. The woman transferred from Kentucky in 2021.
University of Kentucky spokeswoman Dani Jaffe told WLEX-TV that Hairston "was not found responsible for violation of university policy" following a university investigation.
The woman is seeking a jury trial and compensatory damages on all counts.
In 2022, the Bills released rookie punter Matt Araiza after he was accused in a civil lawsuit of participating in a gang rape while at San Diego State. The NFL did not suspend Araiza. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2024 after he was dropped from the suit.
Bills training camp opens July 23 at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford.
The NFL has not said whether it will investigate the claims, but the league has disciplined players in the past based on civil allegations or internal findings.
The league has the authority under its Personal Conduct Policy to open an investigation independent of law enforcement if it suspects conduct detrimental to the integrity of the NFL.
The NFL has suspended multiple players when they haven't been criminally charged, including:
Hairston will compete to start for the starting job opposite Christian Benford, who signed a four-year, $69 million contract extension in the offseason.
Buffalo brought back veteran free agents Tre'Davious Whiteand Dane Jacksonafter one-year departures.
White, the Bills’ 2017 first-round pick, spent seven years in Buffalo. He was selected to two Pro Bowls and led the NFL with six interceptions in 2019. White tore his Achilles in September 2023 and missed the remainder of the season before he was released by the Bills in March 2024. He played 11 games between the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens in 2024.
Jackson was a 2020 seventh-round pick by the Bills. He worked his way up from the practice squad to starter, playing 52 games in his first stint in Buffalo with 152 tackles and three interceptions. Jackson signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Panthers in March 2024 but was released less than a year later.
Former undrafted free agent Ja'Marcus Ingram is entering his fourth season with the Bills. Ingram appeared in all 17 games in 2024, with 24 tackles and a two-interception game, including a pick return for a touchdown, starting in place of slot corner Taron Johnson.
The Bills also drafted defensive backs Jordan Hancock(fifth round, No. 170 overall) and Dorian Strong(sixth round, No. 177 overall).
Hancock, a national champion at Ohio State, recorded 98 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, four forced fumbles and 14 passes defended in college.
Strong had 112 tackles seven interceptions, 28 passes defended and three forced fumbles at Virginia Tech.
Buffalo also has second-year cornerbacks Brandon Codrington and Daequan Hardy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills cornerback depth chart if Maxwell Hairston is suspended
Continue reading...
The plaintiff alleges that in 2021, Hairston followed her to her dorm room uninvited, ignored repeated refusals for sexual contact, and “forcibly removed” her pajama bottoms before assaulting her.
Hairston, 21, has not been charged with a crime.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane was asked about the allegations following the team's selection of Hairston with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft in April.
"He's an impeccable kid," Beane said. "We've done 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.
"Just like anything in this world, you can't just take someone's accounts and think that's the truth. Yes, we fully investigated that. If there was anything to that, he wouldn't have been invited to the combine. He was at the draft. Every person you talk to at Kentucky − teammates, staff there, plus what we've done − I would say this is a heck of a young man," Beane added. "That's unfortunate when things like that are attached to someone's name. In this case, there doesn't seem to be anything there."
The Lexington Police Department told ESPN that it had no report matching the allegations against Hairston. The woman transferred from Kentucky in 2021.
University of Kentucky spokeswoman Dani Jaffe told WLEX-TV that Hairston "was not found responsible for violation of university policy" following a university investigation.
The woman is seeking a jury trial and compensatory damages on all counts.
In 2022, the Bills released rookie punter Matt Araiza after he was accused in a civil lawsuit of participating in a gang rape while at San Diego State. The NFL did not suspend Araiza. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2024 after he was dropped from the suit.
Bills training camp opens July 23 at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford.
Could Maxwell Hairston face a suspension by NFL?
The NFL has not said whether it will investigate the claims, but the league has disciplined players in the past based on civil allegations or internal findings.
The league has the authority under its Personal Conduct Policy to open an investigation independent of law enforcement if it suspects conduct detrimental to the integrity of the NFL.
The NFL has suspended multiple players when they haven't been criminally charged, including:
- Deshaun Watson (2022): Suspended 11 games and fined $5 million after more than two dozen civil suits from massage therapists. No criminal charges were filed.
- Ben Roethlisberger (2010): Suspended four games following civil sexual assault allegations. No charges were filed.
- Josh Brown (2016): Suspended after domestic violence allegations involving his ex-wife.
- Ezekiel Elliott (2017): Suspended six games over domestic violence allegations despite no criminal case.
- Kareem Hunt (2019): Suspended eight games after video surfaced of him shoving and kicking a woman in a hotel hallway.
- Antonio Brown (2020): Suspended eight games following civil sexual assault allegations.
- Jameis Winston (2018): Suspended three games after being accused of groping an Uber driver.
- Justin Tucker (2024): Suspended 10 games for violating the conduct policy after 16 massage therapists accused him of inappropriate behavior.
Buffalo Bills cornerback depth chart
You must be registered for see images attach
Hairston will compete to start for the starting job opposite Christian Benford, who signed a four-year, $69 million contract extension in the offseason.
Buffalo brought back veteran free agents Tre'Davious Whiteand Dane Jacksonafter one-year departures.
White, the Bills’ 2017 first-round pick, spent seven years in Buffalo. He was selected to two Pro Bowls and led the NFL with six interceptions in 2019. White tore his Achilles in September 2023 and missed the remainder of the season before he was released by the Bills in March 2024. He played 11 games between the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens in 2024.
Jackson was a 2020 seventh-round pick by the Bills. He worked his way up from the practice squad to starter, playing 52 games in his first stint in Buffalo with 152 tackles and three interceptions. Jackson signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Panthers in March 2024 but was released less than a year later.
You must be registered for see images attach
Former undrafted free agent Ja'Marcus Ingram is entering his fourth season with the Bills. Ingram appeared in all 17 games in 2024, with 24 tackles and a two-interception game, including a pick return for a touchdown, starting in place of slot corner Taron Johnson.
The Bills also drafted defensive backs Jordan Hancock(fifth round, No. 170 overall) and Dorian Strong(sixth round, No. 177 overall).
Hancock, a national champion at Ohio State, recorded 98 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, four forced fumbles and 14 passes defended in college.
Strong had 112 tackles seven interceptions, 28 passes defended and three forced fumbles at Virginia Tech.
Buffalo also has second-year cornerbacks Brandon Codrington and Daequan Hardy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills cornerback depth chart if Maxwell Hairston is suspended
Continue reading...
