There was a time when misconduct predating a player’s arrival to the NFL would not result in direct scrutiny under the Personal Conduct Policy. At most, pre-NFL behavior would be a factor in punishment for post-NFL misdeeds.
That changed in 2023.
The league revised the Personal Conduct Policy that year to include this statement: “Nothing in this Policy should be read to limit the league’s authority to investigate or discipline potential Policy violations alleged to have occurred before a player is under contract or Draft-eligible.”
With Bills first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston facing a civil lawsuit alleging that he engaged in sexual assault at the University of Kentucky in 2021, it’s possible that Hairston could face an investigation or discipline.
For now, the league has declined comment on the matter, other than to acknowledge that it is aware of the lawsuit.
Bills G.M. Brandon Beane said after Hairston was drafted that the team fully investigated the situation. He also explained that, if there was any merit to the claim, Hairston wouldn’t have been invited to the Scouting Combine or the draft.
That all change can, if the lawsuit results in a trial featuring testimony from the alleged victim and testimony from Hairston. The evidence that comes to light in open court could change everything, depending on the versions supplied by the parties and the perceived credibility of their accounts.
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