College Football

Fernando Mendoza Updates LinkedIn After Indiana's CFP National Championship Win

Published Jan. 21, 2026 8:24 p.m. ET

If you're not a football fan, and didn't watch the College Football Playoff national championship, well now you know who won.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza informed people of all interests and professions when he posted the achievement on his LinkedIn.

"Monday night, my teammates and I had the honor of raising the National Championship trophy and bringing a CFB title back to Bloomington, Indiana, for the first time in history," Mendoza wrote in his post. "With the guidance of our coaches and the unwavering support of Hoosier Nation, our band of brothers made the unbelievable believable.

Two days after the top-ranked Hoosiers beat No. 10 Miami in the CFP title game, Mendoza took to LinkedIn. This isn't the first time the Indiana quarterback has given a life update on the platform often used as corporate social media.

Mendoza posted on LinkedIn after he won the Heisman trophy in December. He informed his followers when he signed a brand deal with Adidas. It looks ironic now that Mendoza is a national champion, and will likely be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But it was once crucial for him to be prioritizing his professional updates as a football career wasn't always guaranteed.

Coming out of high school, Mendoza was a two-star recruit. He had just one Division I offer. He was declined the opportunity to walk-on at Miami, as he revealed following Monday's game. Despite success over two seasons at Cal, there was a reality where his business degree was more relevant to his life anything on the football field.

All of that changed after he transferred to Indiana and had a breakout season, but that doesn't stop him from continuing the good habit of posting professional updates on LinkedIn.

"Here’s what winning a National Championship taught me about B2B sales 🏆 (kidding…kinda)," Mendoza joked. " 1. Believe in yourself: Four years ago, I was a two-star recruit playing high school football 30 minutes from Hard Rock Stadium with a dream of playing at the highest level. Two days ago, I became a National Champion in that same stadium, surrounded by the family who never stopped believing in me. 2. Take the risk: When it’s 4th and 5 at the 12-yard line, go for it. 3. Remember who got you there: Thank you to my teammates, coaches, support staff, professors, and everyone behind the scenes who helped make this happen."

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