After His Championship Win, Fernando Mendoza Says His LinkedIn DMs Got Pretty Flirty (Exclusive)
· Yahoo Sports
CFP/Getty
Visit hilogame.news for more information.
NEED TO KNOW
- Fernando Mendoza began posting on LinkedIn in high school to share updates about a Fortune 500 externship, he tells PEOPLE
- After leading Indiana University to a national championship, his LinkedIn DMs have flooded with messages — both professional and flirty
- Staying authentic on LinkedIn, Mendoza recently announced he was "open to work" ahead of the NFL draft
When Fernando Mendoza first began posting on LinkedIn in high school, it wasn’t part of some long-term brand strategy. He was simply sharing updates about an externship with a Fortune 500 company. But the Miami, Fla., native kept coming back, using the platform to mark each step forward — from getting into the University of California, Berkeley, to arriving on campus as a two-star football recruit.
As his college career took shape, so did his presence on LinkedIn. Throughout his freshman and sophomore years, Mendoza leaned further into the platform, networking with teammates as well as Cal and Berkeley alumni, all while quietly preparing for a future that wasn’t guaranteed to revolve around football.
“I really started to focus on my internships and my LinkedIn profile — my connections, trying to get above 500 — and really trying to take off my professional career in case plan A of football didn’t work out,” he says while speaking to PEOPLE in San Francisco exclusively about his new partnership with LinkedIn.
Fernando Mendoza raises trophy after winning College Football Playoff National Championship GameDavid Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty
But the contingency plan never had to be activated. On Jan. 19, the 22-year-old helped lead the Indiana University Hoosiers — where he transferred in December 2024 — to their first national football championship, a defining moment that validated years of preparation on and off the field.
Even then, Mendoza’s instinct was familiar. Rather than celebrating quietly, he shared the milestone on LinkedIn, and quickly discovered that his audience had grown far beyond recruiters and alumni.
His inbox, he says, was flooded with messages, some professional — and others decidedly more personal.
“I will say, shuffling through my LinkedIn DMs, especially earlier in the year and after the national championship, I did see a couple of, ‘Hey, you know, I love LinkedIn too — maybe we can go on a date,’ ” Mendoza says with a laugh.
Fernando Mendoza smiles at LinkedIn's San Francisco headquarters“There were some really funny pickup lines and really interesting professional ways to slide into both the professional and romantic realm,” he adds. “And I am open to work — professionally and romantically, as I’m single, so it was really cool seeing those messages."
View this post on Instagram
For Mendoza, the moment underscored what LinkedIn had quietly become over the years: not just a résumé, but a living record of his journey.
So when it came time to reveal that he was declaring for the NFL draft, he didn’t hesitate to return to the platform where so much of his story was already written. He updated his LinkedIn profile picture to say "open to work."
“When a lot of people declare for the draft, they post an Instagram photo thanking the school and the university,” he says. “But whenever I had updates, whether it was coaching a new flag football team or career news, I always authentically shared it on LinkedIn."
He adds. "All my career changes really started there, so I thought it was only right to go against the grain and post that I’m open to work, in the hopes that my next step is getting drafted by an NFL team.”
Now, standing on the edge of his biggest transition yet, Mendoza says he’s embracing both the uncertainty and the possibilities ahead.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I’m really excited for the change and the challenges,” he says. “The jump from college to the NFL requires a whole new skill set, and I know I’ll need to be adaptable."
"There are going to be failures that hopefully lead to a lot of successes," he continues. "Playing in the NFL has been my dream since I was a young boy, and to now have the chance to pursue it — to meet new teammates, coaches and join a whole new organization — is going to be a very special moment.”
Fernando and Alberto Mendoza with their family in December 2025.Fernando Mendoza/Instagram
Mendoza credits his parents for helping him navigate every major decision along the way.
“They have always been my optimism, my light, and my most trusted mentors,” he says. “I know they want the best for me, no matter what. They have no bias or motives. They truly love me and always have my best interests at heart."
"They’ve helped accelerate my decisions, whether it was choosing Cal, transferring to Indiana, or now taking the next step and declaring for the NFL draft," he adds. "They were a huge part of the decision and the driving force behind it. When I told the rest of my family, they were overcome with joy and so proud.”
Read the original article on People