Fernando Mendoza is locked in as he begins a new chapter in his life — and he announced it the way he announces everything. On LinkedIn.
The 22-year-old quarterback was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 23. The former Indiana Hoosier and California Golden Bear watched the draft from his home in Miami, surrounded by family members when his name was announced.
After being selected, Mendoza placed a Raiders cap on his head. And then he celebrated in the most Mendoza way possible — on LinkedIn.“It’s official. Grateful for the opportunity and ready to get to work!” he wrote in a LinkedIn post after getting drafted.
He also took down the “Open To Work” banner on his profile picture, which had been added to his profile in the lead-up to the draft.
Now, under the “experience” section of his LinkedIn profile, Mendoza lists himself as a full-time quarterback for the National Football League. He’s also listed as a “Franchise Player” for Taco Ball as of January 2026 and “Chief Financial Playmaker” for U.S. Bank as of April 2026.
Fernando Mendoza Becomes New Face of LinkedIn
The LinkedIn celebration was part of a partnership with the platform. As part of that deal, Mendoza appeared in an ad that aired during the first commercial break of the draft.
The spot captures Mendoza in a post-draft interview setting. During the interview, he pauses to update his LinkedIn profile in real time.
“Boom, posted. Now it’s official,” he says in the ad.
“Fernando has been intentional about his presence on LinkedIn from the start – sharing his journey, building his brand, and connecting with his community,” said Heather Freeland, Chief Brand Officer at LinkedIn, in a news release.
“With this series of spots, we wanted to show that LinkedIn is about those big professional moments — like getting a new job — but it’s also where careers take shape over time,” Freeland added. “And Fernando is the perfect person to demonstrate that as his own career as a professional quarterback takes off.”
Fernando Mendoza Has Been a LinkedIn Fanatic for Years
Mendoza has been a frequent user of LinkedIn for several years. His earliest post on the platform came four years back, when he committed to Cal, according to ESPN.
Over the years, he shared various career achievements on the site, both major and minor.
For example, he recently celebrated his national championship with Indiana on LinkedIn. He also posted about attending ACC media day back in 2024.
When it came time to declare for the NFL draft, Mendoza announced that through a LinkedIn post. That declaration drew more than 30,000 reactions. His latest update topped that with nearly 50,000 reactions, as of April 24.
From his Cal commitment to a national title to the No. 1 overall pick, Mendoza has shared his biggest career milestones on the platform — and it won’t be coming to an end anytime soon.
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