$2.6 million college football QB reportedly signs partnership deal with major company

The 2025 college football season came to an end with No. Indiana's victory over No. 10 Miami (27-21) in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Jan. 19.

The Hoosiers were led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the program's first Heisman Trophy recipient. Mendoza guided Indiana to its first 16-0 season in program history, putting an exclamation point on it all with an emphatic 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of the National Championship game.

While Mendoza guided the Hoosiers down their path to a national championship, media across the country began to get a feel for Mendoza's life off the gridiron. One detail that emerged about Mendoza was his sparse use of social media as a means to block outside distraction.

The one social media platform that Mendoza said he uses is LinkedIn. On Wednesday, Front Office Sports reported that Mendoza and LinkedIn have struck an indefinite partnership and that Mendoza will be involved in a "more integrated capacity."

Fernando Mendoza is officially working with LinkedIn, the platform tells FOS.

Mendoza, an avid user of the app, will be involved in an official “more integrated” capacity, with plans to continue the partnership indefinitely.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 28, 2026

"Process-driven and detail-oriented leader studying Business Administration at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business after graduating from UC Berkeley in three years," Mendoza's LinkedIn profile reads. "As a quarterback for Indiana football, I apply a strong foundation in leadership, time management, and communication to excel both on and off the field."

As Mendoza's LinkedIn profile mentions, he spent the first three years of his college football career playing for California. He did not see the field during the 2022 season and used his redshirt.

He played in nine games for the Golden Bears in 2023, passing for 1,708 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing for 86 more yards and two touchdowns.

Mendoza started 11 games for California in 2024, throwing for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions while running for 105 yards and two more touchdowns. He entered the transfer portal before the Golden Bears' trip to the LA Bowl.

Mendoza's lone season in Bloomington saw him throw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with 276 yards and seven more touchdowns on the ground. He was named Big Ten Most Valuable Player and All-Big Ten First Team for his performance.

In addition to the Heisman Trophy, he won the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien Awards to go along with a consensus All-American distinction.

NFL mock drafts have long been forecasting Mendoza's selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. The Las Vegas Raiders, who are in need of a quarterback, will have the first pick on April 23.