College Football: Miami Damon Wilson II (10) attempts to make a sack vs Florida State QB Ashton Daniels (14) during game played at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami Gardens, FL 10/17/2026CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via G
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - A Florida Bar employee faces an internal investigation and administrative leave after reportedly sending racist and homophobic slurs to Miami football player Damon Wilson II on social media following a game.
Florida Bar disciplinary action
What we know:
The Florida Bar placed Kade McLendon on administrative leave amid an investigation into online comments sent to Miami's Damon Wilson II after the Hurricanes beat Florida State 43-35 on Saturday. McLendon, who has worked for the organization for about two years as a computer technician, allegedly sent messages containing racist and homophobic slurs.
Wilson, who is Black, posted a screenshot of the private messages publicly Sunday, calling it a "glimpse into the life of a black student athlete". The organization released a statement calling the messages ethically and morally reprehensible and confirmed they violate internal employee social media policies.
Ongoing internal review
What we don't know:
Officials have not publicly confirmed what triggered the private messages sent to Wilson, who is in his first season at Miami after previously playing at Georgia and Missouri. An attempt to reach McLendon by the Associated Press was unsuccessful.
It remains unclear how long the internal investigation will take as officials balance policy enforcement with due process rights.
What they're saying:
"The messages in question are not only ethically and morally reprehensible but also violate our internal social media policy for employees," the Bar said in its statement. "As the internal investigation continues, we are committed to enforcing our policies and procedures while making sure that any due process rights are protected."
"That’s my brother and I embrace him," Miami offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez said Tuesday when asked about Wilson and the online comments. "It’s more than a game. That’s my brother."
What's next:
Miami, the No. 1-ranked team in the AP Top 25, next plays Saturday at home against Pittsburgh.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a statement from The Florida Bar, who detailed their internal investigation and employment status updates, as well as reporting from The Associated Press.