Internet sleuths went crazy after discovering an NFL Hall of Fame star was seated behind President Donald Trump’s Federal Reserve Chair pick during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill.
Former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, 42, was seated behind Kevin Warsh as he was grilled by members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Tuesday morning.
“Okay, so it’s not just me…WHY THE HELL IS LARRY FITZGERALD AT KEVIN WARSH’S CONFIRMATION HEARING?!” Franklin Leonard, film producer and founder of publicationThe Black List, wrote on X.
One quipped: “Am I tripping…or is that Larry Fitzgerald sitting behind Trump’s pick for Fed Chair Kevin Warsh?”
Another fan joked: “Given everything Larry Fitzgerald did for my fantasy teams back in the day, his attendance guarantees my support for the Warsh nomination.”
“Larry Fitzgerald at Kevin Warsh’s Fed Chair hearing was not on my 2026 bingo card,” another X user chimed in.
The question over why Fitzgerald, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year, was at the hearing was somewhat answered by Punchbowl News reporter Laura Weiss who posted on X that Warsh and the NFL veteran are friends. Video, shared by Fox Business producer Chase William, showed Fitzgerald and Warsh hugging ahead of the confirmation hearing.
Warsh, 56, a former Morgan Stanley banker who served as a Fed governor during the 2008 financial crisis, was named by Trump in January to replace current Fed chair Jerome Powell. Trump has pushed for criminal investigations into Powell over renovations at the central bank’s home in Washington, D.C. However, a federal judge blocked the probe last month, stating that it appeared to be designed to “harass and pressure” Powell.
While Warsh’s confirmation to become Fed Chair appears to be on track, there’s one key obstacle: Republican Senator Thom Tillis has said he will withhold support for Warsh until the Justice Department drops its investigation into Powell.
Tillis on Tuesday urged the Department of Justice to “get rid of this investigation so I can support your nomination.”
If confirmed, Warsh would likely be the wealthiest Fed chair, with a fortune of more than $100 million, according to financial disclosures. He faced a tough line of questioning over his investments from Sen. Democrat Elizabeth Warren, who grilled him on his assets and loyalty to Trump.
Warsh also testified Tuesday that he never promised the White House that he would cut interest rates, even as Trump calls for the central bank to do so.
“The president never once asked me to commit to any particular interest rate decision, and nor would I agree to it if he had,” Warsh said during the hearing. “I will be an independent actor if confirmed as chair of the Federal Reserve.”
His comments came hours after Trump told CNBC that he would be disappointed if Warsh doesn’t immediately cut rates.
With reporting from Associated Press
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