Maxwell Hairston feels ready as he returns from injury
Especially for Hairston, he took his time on the sideline to understand the game from a different perspective.
“Getting super smart off the field, so when I do get back on there, physically I could be able to take what I’ve seen, take the mental reps I’ve taken and apply that to real life,” Hairston said.
The cornerback said that his first practice back felt good and that he will do whatever the team needs him to. Whether that’s playing or waiting another week, Hairston’s just happy to be back with his teammates and will support them in any way he can, just as they did for him during his absence.
“When you got a team like this that is so together in a real-life brotherhood, they kept me involved. They supported me through the whole way and made me still feel like I was a part of the team even though I wasn’t playing,” Hairston said. “So honestly, they just made that whole rehab and whole thing just a lot easier for me.”
While tapping back into the physical side of the game Hairston said is like riding a bike, the mental side is something he worked on throughout his recovery. He said he didn’t allow his emotions to overcome him and put trust in the coaches and training staff to get him to where he needs to be.
Even one practice in, Hairston is treating every opportunity as if it’s a game so he’s ready for whenever he gets his chance.
“When I do get to the game it just feels like a practice with a crowd. And just staying positive, but really just having a mindset of don’t let the guy to the left of me, the guy to the right of me down,” he said.