Washington Redskins · The Head Hog
George Starke
Offensive Lineman · 13 Seasons · 1972 – 1984 · 3 Super Bowls
Washington Redskins · The Head Hog
Offensive Lineman · 13 Seasons · 1972 – 1984 · 3 Super Bowls
George Starke is an NFL veteran of 13 years and 3 Super Bowls. George was born in New York City and grew up in New Rochelle, New York. He played basketball and football in high school, earning All State, All Met, All County and All American honors.
George attended Columbia University as a physics major, playing football and basketball for the Lions. Drafted by the Washington Redskins as an offensive tackle, the road to the roster wasn't easy — he was released by the Redskins, spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, and made a stop at a Dallas Cowboys camp — before George Allen brought him back to Washington in 1972.
George's Redskins career spanned 13 seasons and 3 Super Bowls.
In George's later years as leader of the famous "Hogs" — the Redskins' legendary offensive line — the team went back-to-back to Super Bowls. Under George's leadership the Hogs formed a corporation: Super Hogs, Inc.
Their famous brand launched a variety of products — from shirts and hats to Head Hog Premium Beer — and most famously the poster of the Hogs dressed in top hats and tuxedoes, titled "Hogs Night Out."
After George's retirement, the Redskins Hogs went on to win two more Super Bowls. During George's football career, he began a side career as a TV broadcaster. George first appeared as on air talent doing sports for Channel 5 Fox Television in Washington, DC. Also for Channel 5, George hosted the TV variety show titled PM Magazine.
George went on to appear on other Washington, DC local television stations until he wrote and created his own show Redskins Saturday Night. RSN was broadcasted live from Champions Bar and Restaurant and featured co-host Redskins Pete Wysocki and writer Tony Kornhaiser. George later went on to work for ESPN as a college football analyst and later to NFL on air TV colour analyst for CBS co-hosting with James Brown.
After retirement from the Redskins, in addition to working on his broadcasting career, George began his business endeavour by attending Ford Motor Company dealer-owner-operator management school. He trained in Baltimore, Maryland and later opened George Starke Ford in Emmitsburg, Maryland (the world Headquarters of the Ku Klux Clan).
In conjunction with his dealership, George also opened Head Hog Barbecue restaurants. George and Petra Smeltzer Starke moved with Little George to Beverly Hills, California, where they reside. George is currently marketing a television series written with help from Jack McLaughlin, based on the dynamic experiences the Hogs had alongside Redskins greats like John Riggins, Joe Theismann and others — courageous, funny, tough men who operated like a "Band of Brothers" as they lived off the field. Petra started her own global hot yoga brand SweatNGlow after having been President and CEO of the Bikram Yoga brand.
Nicknamed "Silk" by his teammates, George is Mohawk / Native American, who believes in magic and always wears white buffalo hair under his helmet when he goes into NFL battles. The plot for the Hog Heaven television series has won top prizes for writing at several film festivals.
George also won the John Jay Award from Columbia University for prestigious graduate achievement, and the Hometown Hero Award by the Mayor of the District of Columbia for building and managing the Excel Institute.
The Excel Institute was inspired by the spike in violence in Washington, DC, which George believed was caused by socioeconomic circumstances of inner-city Black families. George exited the Excel Institute having had great success bringing it to other markets and countries, but is currently working on reviving the EI in Washington, DC, working with Marcus Goodwin, a candidate for City Council At Large in Washington, DC.
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