Bills’ GM cites polygraph amid 1st round pick’s sexual assault lawsuit

The Buffalo Bills' rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston, selected 27th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, is facing a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault related to an incident in March 2021 at the University of Kentucky.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Kentucky on July 1, 2025, alleges that Hairston entered the victim's dorm room uninvited and engaged in non-consensual sexual activity. The accuser, Rebecca Hendryx, claims Hairston ignored her repeated refusals and “forcefully removed” her clothing before the alleged assault. The civil suit comes despite no criminal charges ever being filed, and Hairston having been previously cleared through investigations by both university authorities and local police.

But despite the legal development, Bills general manager Brandon Beane has publicly defended Hairston.

Beane expressed his frustration over the nature of civil proceedings, saying:

“It’s frustrating because in the legal world you can’t sit there and say things back and forth, you’ve got to let it go, but this happened to this young man over four years ago. He gave up his phone to prove; he took a polygraph test. This kid didn’t run from it; he answered every single thing. People can make accusations and do things, and I have no idea what the agenda is there, but I can tell you every stone we turned over, every door we looked behind, this is a very good young man.”

Beane continued, “I think we need to remember in the world, sometimes these guys — I’m not going to get into it — but we see these accusations, sometimes these guys can be victims, too. They make a lot of money. And I just want to make sure — rarely do people defend them. And that’s hard for me to see sometimes because I’ve seen it. We had it here with a player a few years ago, that’s no longer here, that was wrongly accused. And it’s frustrating and everyone should … anyone that’s met Maxwell Hairston genuinely knows what a great young man he is.”

Hairston, who was 17 years old at the time of the alleged incident, has consistently maintained his innocence.

Speaking from Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University, Hairston stated:

“It’s been something I’ve been dealing with since I was 17. It’s been four years now. I went through this whole process with the police. They went through a thorough investigation, and I was exonerated from that. The University of Kentucky did a thorough investigation. I was exonerated from that as well. I volunteered to do multiple polygraphs because I was determined to get my truth out there, because I have nothing to hide. I was an open book. I have two sisters that I love dearly, and I respect all females.”

Nonetheless, Hairston remains active in training camp and is projected to compete for a starting role in Buffalo’s secondary alongside Christian Benford. The Bills, looking to strengthen their defense after offseason departures, view Hairston as a top-tier addition based on his college performance.