Inside the Untold Legacy of Fred Smith: The Washington Minority Owner Who Changed the Game Before His Mysterious Passing at 80

Fred Smith wasn’t just the guy who started FedEx — though let’s be honest, that alone would’ve secured his place in the history books. No, his influence stretched well beyond overnight deliveries and logistics. For years, he quietly shaped parts of the NFL landscape, especially through his minority stake in the Washington Commanders. And here’s something wild — his impact wasn’t limited to business moves; it filtered down to family ties, too, with his son Arthur steering offenses in the NFL himself. Smith’s push for cultural change, like urging the team to ditch the old nickname, stirred the pot and set off a chain reaction that rattled the franchise’s very core, culminating in seismic shifts in ownership and leadership. And you know what? His story almost reads like an NFL saga itself — full of ambition, conflict, and legacy. I’ve got to say, understanding the guy behind the boardroom door offers a fascinating peek into the NFL’s off-field drama. LEARN MORE

While in most contexts he will be remembered first and foremost as the founder of FedEx, Smith had a significant impact on the NFL.Smith first acquired his interest in the team in 2003. He had attempted to secure an expansion franchise in Memphis in the 1990s, when the Panthers and Jaguars joined the NFL. With Elvis Presley’s estate involved in the bid, the team would have been known as the Memphis Hound Dogs.Beyond his company expressly requesting that the team abandon its former nickname in July 2020, Smith’s efforts to extricate himself from the team placed significant pressure on former principal owner Daniel Snyder. Along with Robert Rothman and Dwight Schar, Smith worked to find a way out of their partnership with Snyder, culminating in Snyder buying their stakes in the franchise in early 2021. He was the father of former Falcons coach and current Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Fred Smith also was a long-time minority owner of the Washington Commanders, and FedEx for many years held the naming rights to the stadium where the team plays.The unrest sparked by Smith and the other minority partners contributed to the focus on the business activities of the franchise as led by Snyder. There is an unmistakable link between the Smith/Rothman/Schar situation and the ultimate ouster of Snyder in 2023.Fred Smith, a towering figure in American business, has died. He was 80.