Was it really official before it hit LinkedIn?
After he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Raiders on Thursday, Fernando Mendoza made it LinkedIn official, as he does with all of his career updates and endeavors.
“It’s official. Grateful for the opportunity and ready to get to work! 🏈🙏,” Mendoza posted from his Miami home where he decided to camp out for all the draft festivities along with friends and family rather than travel for the big event in Pittsburgh.
Mendoza was the expected first pick for quite some time, and the Raiders didn’t seem to consider other options. However, what was a surprise was that Mendoza is no longer simply a LinkedIn user.
He is now starring in ads as a LinkedIn partner, and his post-draft update came with a commercial for the networking app that aired during the draft.
“I’m here with Fernando Mendoza,” said an acting ESPN reporter in the spot. “You just got the call. Tell me what it feels like to be officially drafted.”
“It’s such a blessing and, oh sorry, one second,” Mendoza blurted out as he looked alarmed and pulled out his phone from his navy suit pocket.
“I need to post on LinkedIn,” he went on to say as awkward silence filled the air as viewers could hear Mendoza typing on his phone.
“Boom! Posted. Now it’s official,” Mendoza said while flashing his phone screen at the camera with the post.
Since then, the former Indiana quarterback, Heisman Trophy and national title winner updated his LinkedIn bio to say “NFL QB | Indiana University Football | HAAS School of Business Graduate.”
He also added the NFL to his list of experiences, along with U.S. Bank as a chief financial playmaker.
The star quarterback is known for his frequent posts to LinkedIn, including one following his national championship, “Here’s what winning a National Championship taught me about B2B sales.”
As the Raiders announced their pick, Mendoza quickly smiled as his family and friends cheered for him in the next step of his career.
He shared several hugs with his family, including one with his mom, Elsa, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2015.
Since Mendoza was not in Pittsburgh for the draft, his picture in a Raiders jersey and media appearances alongside the organization will likely be pushed to Friday in Las Vegas.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
