Bills must make this change after Maxwell Hairston's heroics in Week 9 win over Chiefs

Maxwell Hairston is ready for his close-up.

The Buffalo Bills’ first-round cornerback made a splash in his second career NFL game, recording the first interception of his rookie season to help his team clinch a much-needed victory over conference rival, the Kansas City Chiefs.

“You’ve got to think, this is only his second game in the NFL,” said Head Coach Sean McDermott on the rookie’s big moment. “Pretty big introduction into the NFL, this type of game. So, really proud of him.”

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) intercepts the ball in the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Hairston missed the Bills’ first six games of the season due to a knee injury he sustained during training camp, forcing him to the Injured Reserve. But after going on the mend, he got to work, determined to return stronger than ever.

“If you just go back to his journey, when he was hurt,” added McDermott. “A couple down days maybe, but his character also showed through."

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Hairston’s diligence during his downtime has paid off quickly upon his return, as he has been rotated in with veteran Tre’Davious White and delivered promising results in the process. After Sunday’s game, Hairston couldn’t help but grin ear to ear.

“I got my first interception on Pat Mahomes,” said Hairston from the podium postgame. “Just trusting what I see, being at the right spot, doing my 1/11th, and the ball found me.”

Sunday’s game was the first for Hairston in front of the home fans in Buffalo, an experience he found exhilarating.

“I won’t lie, the beginning of the game, I was a little nervous,” he said. “But I’m like, ‘I’m here for a reason.’ Bills Mafia is the best, and I was happy to be able to play in front of them.”

The first-year pro termed his performance on Sunday as a “dream come true.”

“Games like this is the games I prayed for growing up,” said the rookie. “These are games, as a little kid, that you want to be a part of.”

When the Bills selected Hairston with the No. 30 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, they were hoping to bring in a player with exceptional speed and coverage ability to help them combat the likes of the Chiefs’ vaunted passing game. On Sunday, Hairston was matched up with Kansas City’s speedy second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy and ran stride for stride with the 2024 first-round pick throughout the game.

His interception of Mahomes came with 4:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, when the Chiefs quarterback launched a bomb intended for Worthy, only for it to wind up in the waiting arms of Hairston. Worthy finished the game with just one reception for seven yards.

With White’s skills diminishing and the Bills in need of a boost of athleticism in the secondary, the time is now for Buffalo to call on Hairston in a starting role to help guide this pass-coverage unit to bigger and better things down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

The Bills cannot waste any more time with White in the back end. They must pull the trigger and insert Hairston into the starting lineup beginning with next week against the Miami Dolphins.

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