Fernando Mendoza is taking his viral LinkedIn presence to the next level.
One day after leading Indiana to its first national championship, the Hoosiers quarterback recapped the program’s magical run on the professional networking site— and the post helped spark a formal partnership.
Indiana capped an undefeated season with a 27-21 win over Miami Hurricanes last week. Mendoza reflected on the journey in a post that mixed leadership lessons with lighthearted business humor.
“With the guidance of our coaches and the unwavering support of Hoosier Nation, our band of brothers made the unbelievable believable,” Mendoza wrote. “Here’s what winning a National Championship taught me about B2B sales (kidding…kinda)…”
NEW: Fernando Mendoza is officially working with LinkedIn.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 27, 2026
LinkedIn tells FOS it has begun working with Mendoza, an avid user of the app, in an official “more integrated” capacity, with plans to continue the partnership indefinitely.
The post quickly went viral and it sparked LinkedIn to make it official, according to Front Office Sports. The partnership with Mendoza comes “in a more integrated capacity” and is “excited to continue working with him moving forward.”
With over 167,000 followers, Mendoza has become an unlikely star on the platform, which he has said is the only social media app on his phone outside of YouTube. He credits LinkedIn for helping him avoid the daily noise that often surrounds elite athletes.
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“It’s really helped put things in perspective,” Mendoza said earlier this month. “I’m not online reading, ‘Oh, Fernando’s great. Fernando sucks.’”
Mendoza became the Hoosiers' first Heisman Trophy winner after throwing for 2,980 yards and 33 touchdowns. A projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, he marked his declaration by updating his LinkedIn profile photo with the platform’s “Open to Work” banner. It's was another move that drew widespread attention, but he'll likely be headed to the Las Vegas Raiders, who hold the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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