CORAL GABLES, October 22, 2026 — The Florida Bar has terminated an information technology employee following a brief internal investigation into racist and homophobic direct messages sent to a University of Miami football player. The disciplinary action concluded on Wednesday, according to statements released by the organization.
Investigation And Termination By The Florida Bar
According to CBS News, the employee who was fired is Kade McLendon, who had worked at the Bar for about two years as a computer technician. Yahoo Sports reported that the direct messages were sent from an account using McLendon’s name to University of Miami player Damon Wilson II after the Hurricanes secured a 43-35 victory in a game against rival Florida State. The messages included several racist and homophobic slurs.
Yahoo Sports noted that a screenshot of a LinkedIn profile reportedly belonging to McLendon showed he graduated from the Tallahassee-based university. When the incident came to light, the individual argued that his account had been hacked when the messages were sent to Wilson, according to Yahoo Sports. However, the organization stated that McLendon did not provide evidence sufficient to demonstrate to The Florida Bar’s satisfaction that his Instagram account had been compromised.
According to CBS News, the Bar announced on Tuesday that the employee was under investigation before concluding the probe and terminating his employment on Wednesday. In its official statement reported by CBS News and Yahoo Sports, the organization stated that those messages were reprehensible and inconsistent with the mission, values, and policies of The Florida Bar. WPTV reported that the Bar also noted the messages were not only ethically and morally reprehensible but also violated internal social media policy for employees.
Public Exposure And The Athlete’s Response
According to CBS News, Damon Wilson II, who is Black, shared a screenshot of the messages publicly on Sunday. Wilson described the online interaction as a glimpse into the life of a black student athlete, according to CBS News and Yahoo Sports. It remains unclear why the private messages were sent to Wilson, who is in his first season at Miami after previously playing at Georgia and Missouri, as reported by CBS News.
According to CBS News and Yahoo Sports, teammates swiftly came to Wilson’s defense after the incident was made public. Tight end Elijah Lofton stated, as reported by Yahoo Sports, that Wilson is his brother and anything he needs, the team will be there for him. Offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez added, in comments reported by CBS News and Yahoo Sports, that Wilson is his brother and that he embraces him, emphasizing that the situation is more than a game.
Team Schedule And Broader Context
As the University of Miami football program navigates the aftermath of the online controversy, the team prepares for its next athletic contest. According to CBS News, the Hurricanes hold the No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25 poll. The team is scheduled to play next on Saturday at home against Pittsburgh, as reported by CBS News and Yahoo Sports.
The swift action taken by The Florida Bar highlights institutional responses to online conduct involving public figures and student athletes. According to WPTV, the organization stated during its inquiry that while the internal investigation continued, it remained committed to enforcing policies and procedures while making sure that any due process rights were protected. An attempt by The Associated Press to reach McLendon on Tuesday was unsuccessful, according to WPTV.
Sources
- Florida Bar fires employee over racist messages to University of Miami football player
- The Florida Bar fires IT employee who sent racist messages to Miami football player
- Florida Bar places employee on leave over 'morally reprehensible' comments to Miami football player
Photo: The Bushranger (CC BY-SA 4.0)
