Buffalo Bills DC explains CB Hairston's decreased snaps vs. Steelers

Bobby Babich explained why the Buffalo Bills' rookie CB played significantly fewer snaps than Tre White in Week 13.

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) warms up before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Since returning from a knee injury that landed him on Injured Reserve before the start of the regular season, over five games played, Maxwell Hairston had played no fewer than 44.3% of the Buffalo Bills' defensive snaps.

That changed on Sunday against the Steelers, when his snap share crashed to 30.2% during a blowout win.

There were many questions on Monday morning regarding Hairston’s decreased participation and the motivation behind it. But many of those inquiries were satisfied when Bobby Babich spoke with the media at One Bills Drive.

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Oct 26, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis (22) celebrates with cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) after a game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Bills’ defensive coordinator cited the flow of the game as the reason for the shift in the cornerback rotation we had come to expect the past several weeks.

“We have goals going into it, but those can certainly change based on the series,” said Babich. “You can't control the series that people are in, if that makes sense. Like, put this guy in, it's a three-play series, put this guy in, it's a 13-play series, like, you can't control that. We'll continue to monitor it and try to get the best, you know, cadence that we can there.”

Tre’Davious White out-snapped Hairston 33-13 on Sunday. And while Babich’s sentiment, for the most part, bears out, White did play two more series than Hairston during the win, which adds a bit more context to the discrepancy in playing time between the two.

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Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White (27) breaks up a pass intended for Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (88) in the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

"I thought Tre did a nice job last night,” said Babich. “I think Tre's playing some good football right now, and he needs to keep it going.”

With that said, the four series in which Hairston was on the field vs. Pittsburgh lasted an average of 3.25 plays per drive. White was on the field for six series, which lasted an average of 5.5 plays per drive. Therefore, Babich wasn’t wholly off base in his assessment.

However, moving forward, it will be interesting to track how this rotation plays out down the stretch. White has begun to come into his own as the team’s starter, allowing just two receptions on 11 targets over the Bills’ last six games. And with Hairston still a neophyte at his position, Babich, Head Coach Sean McDermott and company may elect to ride the veteran as the team makes its playoff push.

White has shown impressive ability both in defending against the pass and in run support. He has become one of the team's most steady defenders and it's unlikely the team would be quick to remove him from the lineup anytime soon.

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