Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza has put together quite the resume in Bloomington, and if you don’t believe it, feel free to check out his LinkedIn profile.
‘This weekend, I was incredibly honored to be named the 2025 Heisman Trophy recipient,’ the self-described student-athlete wrote on the business networking website. ‘To the Heisman Trophy Trust, the voters, and the legendary winners who have come before me, it is a privilege to be recognized alongside such an esteemed fraternity.’
Heisman winners often go on publicity tours after receiving the honor, which goes to the most outstanding college football player in the country. But in the case of Mendoza, a high-achieving 22-year-old business administration major who was accepted at Yale, the LinkedIn post is more on brand.
Both unflinchingly positive and steadfastly humble, Mendoza has gone viral several times this season for his irrepressible enthusiasm – something that could serve him well in football or business.
‘I accept this honor with humility, gratitude, and a deep sense of responsibility,’ his LinkedIn message continued. ‘This recognition reflects the support of my family, my coaches, and every teammate who has believed in me along the way, from Christopher Columbus to Cal and now Indiana.’
A transfer from the University of California, Berkeley, Mendoza wrote that he was ‘once just a kid in Miami chasing a dream,’ and now he hopes his ‘journey can inspire other kids to believe in themselves.’
A business major who was accepted at Yale, Mendoza added to his resume this month
The LinkedIn post was on brand for the relentlessly positive 22-year-old from Miami
‘That said, this journey is far from finished,’ he concluded, ‘and I am proud to continue representing Indiana University Bloomington as we prepare for the College Football Playoff.
‘On to the Rose Bowl!’
Fans weren’t too surprised by the post.
‘Unironically Mendoza would be elite at board meetings at a company,’ one wrote online.
Another joked Mendoza ‘really wants that [Commercial Real Estate] internship.’
And for anyone suggesting that Mendoza might be a nerd, the Hoosiers star actually embraces that label.
‘When I grew up, being a nerd was always a bad thing,’ he told 60 Minutes. ‘However, I think now being a nerd is a little cooler.
‘If being a nerd is always learning and always searching for new information, then I’m all about it, whether it’s in the classroom or on the football field.’
Mendoza passed for 2,980 yards and 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores
Indiana football had not claimed a Big Ten title since 1967 and was winless against Ohio State since 1988 until December 7, when the second-ranked Hoosiers upset the No. 1 Buckeyes in the conference championship.
Now, for the second straight season, the Hoosiers are in the College Football Playoff under coach Curt Cignetti.
Mendoza was named on 95.16 percent of all Heisman ballots and received 84.6 percent of possible points from voters – the seventh highest mark ever.
In total, he received 643 first-place votes.
For the season, Mendoza passed for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. He is considered by many experts to be a candidate for the first-overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
