Fred Smith, who was a former minority owner of the Washington NFL team and the founder of FedEx Corp., a major sponsor in sports, has passed away at the age of 80.
Smith was the father of Arthur Smith, who used to coach the Atlanta Falcons and is now the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He held a share of the Washington franchise from 2003 until 2021.
The Washington Commanders expressed their sadness over Frederick W. Smith’s death in a statement, saying, “We mourn the loss of Mr. Smith, founder and executive chairman of FedEx. He was a well-respected philanthropist and innovative businessman who once had a minority stake in our team. Additionally, he served our country proudly in the US Marine Corps. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Smith’s family and friends, as well as to everyone at FedEx.”
In 2003, Smith bought a minority share of the team under Dan Snyder’s ownership. Along with Robert Rothman and Dwight Schar, he owned 40% of the franchise before selling their shares in 2021.
