Florida Bar Fires Worker After Harassment of Miami Football Player

Worker Terminated Following Inquiry

The Florida Bar dismissed an employee this week following an inquiry into hateful direct messages sent to Miami football player Damon Wilson II on Instagram. The harassment happened shortly after Miami defeated Florida State 43-35 last weekend.

Kade McLendon, who worked as a computer technician for the Bar for about two years, was terminated on Wednesday. An account using McLendon's name sent multiple messages to Wilson, including several racist and homophobic slurs. Wilson, who is Black, shared a screenshot of the notes publicly on Sunday, calling it a glimpse into the life of a black student athlete.

The Florida Bar confirmed on Tuesday that McLendon was under investigation. By Wednesday, the organization stated that the messages were reprehensible and inconsistent with its values and policies. The Bar added that while McLendon denied sending the abusive messages, he did not provide evidence sufficient to demonstrate that his account had been compromised.

Locker Room Rallies Around Wilson

It remains unclear why the private messages were sent to Wilson. The player is in his first season at Miami after previously playing college football at Georgia and Missouri.

His Hurricanes teammates made sure to offer their full support as the situation developed. Miami offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez spoke about the incident on Tuesday. Rodriguez said of Wilson, "That's my brother and I embrace him." Rodriguez also added, "It's more than a game. That's my brother."

What it means for the next game

Miami holds the top spot in the national rankings and must now prepare to play at home again this weekend.

Pittsburgh Panthers at Miami Hurricanes (College Football, Sat, 24 Oct): Miami Hurricanes win 90%, Pittsburgh Panthers win 10%; projected score Miami Hurricanes 34, Pittsburgh Panthers 15. Our safest pick: Over 38.5 points.