Key Takeaways
- The Florida Bar fired IT employee Kade McLendon after determining he failed to prove his Instagram account was compromised when it sent racist, homophobic, and violent messages to Miami linebacker Damon Wilson II.
- Wilson posted screenshots of the abuse after Miami’s 43–35 double-overtime win over Florida State, writing, “Glimpse into the life of a Black student athlete.”
- Miami teammate Ryan Rodriguez backed Wilson publicly, saying, “It’s more than a game. That’s my brother,” as the 6–0 Hurricanes rose to No. 1 in the AP poll.
The Florida Bar has fired employee Kade McLendon after investigating racist, homophobic, and violent Instagram messages sent to University of Miami football player Damon Wilson II following the Hurricanes’ win over Florida State.
In a statement released on Wednesday, October 21, to X and other social media channels, the organization said McLendon did not provide sufficient proof that the Instagram account connected to the messages had been compromised.
“Those messages were reprehensible and inconsistent with the mission, values, and policies of The Florida Bar,” the organization said. “While McLendon denies sending the messages, he did not provide evidence sufficient to demonstrate to The Florida Bar’s satisfaction that his Instagram account had been compromised. As of today, The Florida Bar has terminated McLendon’s employment.”
The termination caps a swift escalation for McLendon, a computer technician who had worked for the Florida Bar for roughly two years. On Monday, October 19, the Bar said it was looking into messages that may have come from an employee’s account.
The Florida Bar regulates lawyers under the Florida Supreme Court, though McLendon was not an attorney. His now-deleted LinkedIn profile listed him as an IT employee and a Florida State graduate, details that circulated after Wilson posted screenshots of the exchange.
Wilson shared the messages Sunday, October 18, writing, “Glimpse into the life of a Black student athlete.” The screenshots showed the sender directing racist and homophobic slurs at the University of Miami defensive lineman, invoking segregation-era language, and threatening Wilson and members of his family with violence.
The messages followed Miami’s 43–35 double-overtime win over Florida State at Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 17. Miami improved to 6–0 and rose to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2002.
Wilson is in his first season with Miami after previous stops at Georgia and Missouri. The senior earned second-team All-SEC honors at Missouri in 2025 after recording nine sacks, then landed at Miami as one of the most notable transfers on a Hurricanes defense that has helped push the program back into the national-title conversation.
Miami offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez addressed the online attack this week while standing up for his teammate. “That’s my brother, and I embrace him,” Rodriguez said. “It’s more than a game. That’s my brother.”
