Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was dealt a significant loss on Saturday.
Fred Smith, his father and the founder and CEO of FedEx, died at 80.
Fred Smith, who stepped down as CEO of FedEx in June of 2022, was a minority owner of the Washington Commanders from 2003 to 2021. Arthur Smith parlayed his father’s connections into a career in professional football, beginning as a defensive quality control coach for the organization in 2007.
“We all have connections that help you, but with my dad’s involvement up there, and playing in FedEx Field, I just felt like when you’re the quality control, it’s fine,” Arthur Smith told ESPN in 2021 . “You’re at the entry level, and they’re hard jobs to get and I was lucky to be in that, but to legitimately move up I knew I had to get away.”
FedEx became one of the top global transportation and logistics companies under the eldest Smith, who saved it after a crucial business loan was denied by taking the company’s last $5,000 to Las Vegas and winning $27,000 gambling on blackjack to cover the company’s $24,000 fuel bill.
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