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George Starke

 

Career Highlights

• Super Bowl champion (XVII)
• Three Super Bowl appearances
• Named to 70 Greatest Redskins
• Redskins captain for 5 seasons

The Head Hog

George Starke played as an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins from 1973 to 1984. He was born on March 18, 1948, in New York City and attended Columbia University, where he played college football.

Starke was selected by the Redskins in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL Draft, and he had to fight to become a member of the team’s offensive line. He was originally cut just two weeks into the 1972 season. He then went to the Kansas City Chiefs training camp and was unceremoniously the very last cut right before the season started.

The following summer he went to try out for the Dallas Cowboys. After six weeks there, he was cut again. But the Redskins asked him to come and try out again.

He started on the taxi squad – what is now known as the practice squad – and eventually moved to the main roster and ultimately the starting right tackle spot.

Starke was known for his toughness and work ethic. He was a key member of the Redskins’ offensive line during the team’s first ever Super Bowl championship berth in 1972 and again in 1982.

When Joe Bugel pegged the young group of offensive linemen as the Hogs in 1982, Starke was ten years their senior and very much the elder statesman of the group. That’s how he earned the monicker of Head Hog.

Starke was the one that capitalized on the notoriety of that group of Hogs. He had them all invest $500 each and created a corporation called Super Hogs. They were the very first group to market themselves outside of the NFL’s oversight.

They created their own merchandise – with their own beer, and a clothing line. They also produced the two most successful posters of all time with the Hogs Night Out and the Grave Yard Hogs.

 

He played in 156 games over his 12-year career, starting in 131 of them.

Starke’s contributions to the team were recognized with his induction into the Washington Redskins Ring of Fame in 2005.

 

Life After Football

Off the field, Starke has been involved in a number of philanthropic and community service activities. He has served on the board of directors for the Leukemia Society of America and has been involved with the United Way, the Special Olympics, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Not only that, he was a very busy and successful businessman.

A few years after his NFL career ended, he opened the George Starke Ford in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

He also began a career in TV broadcasting – with shows like PM Magazine and Redskins Saturday Night. He was the host of both. The Redskins Saturday Night show won several Emmies.

He also began working for Hometeam Sports which would later become Comcast Sports. He was a color commentator for ESPN College Football and CBS NFL broadcasts.

He founded head Hog Premium Beer which would morph into head Hog BBQ restaurants in Bethesda, Maryland and Rockville, Maryland.

Starke also founded a not-for-profit job training facility called the Excel Institute. the institute provided basic education and life skills for at-risk youth.

If that weren’t enough, Starke also founded Starke Communications – a firm that provided communications, public relations and marketing services to corporate clients. They also provided motivational speakers.

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