Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik took the high road this week in responding to a fake message board post that spiraled into a scare.
Just days before the Tigers open their season, a rumor appeared on Tigernet.com claiming Klubnik had been injured in a car accident and could not move his arm or shoulder. The post was quickly debunked, but not before it rattled fans and reached Klubnik’s own family.
The false report gained traction after being amplified by the popular parody account “Message Board Geniuses,” which shared a screenshot to more than 100,000 followers on X.
By then, panic had already set in among Clemson faithful, with some bracing for the loss of the team’s most important player. Klubnik’s mother, Kim, even called her son in tears after reading the story.
“My heart has not stopped racing since someone shared the story with me,” she told CBS Sports. “How can someone be so cruel?”
On Wednesday, Klubnik addressed the hoax during a press conference.
“I don’t know who it was, but, man, just shame on them for the pain that they had to put people that I love through. … It was just a messed up joke and, whatever, but I’m okay,” he said.
Here was Cade Klubnik’s response to the message board post that claimed he’d been in a car accident (falsely).
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) August 27, 2025
He’s mostly laughing it off. But he wasn’t laughing at how the post worried his mom, who called to make sure he was OK.
Not cool, obviously. Weird world we live in. pic.twitter.com/Mkl1sePRaL
The incident serves as a reminder of viral misinformation. While online forums have long been a gathering spot for fans, accuracy has never been the strongest.
For Clemson, Klubnik is healthy and focused on football. The Heisman hopeful leads the 4th-ranked Tigers after throwing for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns last season. His playmaking ability is key to Clemson’s hopes of returning to the College Football Playoff, where they fell to Texas last year.
Clemson opens the season on Saturday night against No. 9 LSU at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.
MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS:
- Kelce Brothers awkward college photo resurfaces after Taylor Swift engagement
- Bill Belichick, girlfriend Jordon Hudson secure 'Gold Digger' trademark
- Arch Manning sends clear message to Ohio State: "We got the red dot on everyone"
- Notre Dame Football unveils new logo— first time in 60 years
- Antonio Brown takes aim at the Sanders family and Colorado following Shilo's release