Jeff Bostic
The undersized, undrafted anchor of the Washington Redskins' legendary 'Hogs' offensive line that dominated the 1980s.
Born 1958 (age 68)·American football player·Birthday: September 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jeff Bostic's NFL story is the ultimate triumph of the overlooked. Not drafted out of Clemson, he made the Washington Redskins' roster as a free-agent long snapper and fought his way into a starting role. He became the cerebral center of 'The Hogs,' the monstrous offensive line that was the engine of Joe Gibbs' championship teams. While larger teammates got more headlines, Bostic's intelligence, technique, and tenacity were vital. He called protections against some of the most fearsome defensive fronts of the era, helping clear paths for John Riggins and provide time for Joe Theismann and Doug Williams. His three Super Bowl rings are badges of honor for a player who proved that heart and smarts could outweigh draft status, embodying the blue-collar identity of those dominant Redskins squads.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jeff was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jeff Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Jeff's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three Super Bowls (XVII, XXII, XXVI) as the starting center for the Washington Redskins.
- Selected to the Pro Bowl in 1983, recognizing him as one of the league's best centers.
- Played his entire 14-season NFL career with the Washington Redskins, a rarity for an undrafted player.
- Was a key member of 'The Hogs,' one of the most famous offensive lines in NFL history.
Did You Know?
He and his brother, Joe Bostic (who played for the St. Louis Cardinals), faced each other in an NFL game.
Bostic was originally signed as a free agent primarily to be the team's long snapper.
He played college football at Clemson University alongside his future Redskins teammate, linebacker Jeff Davis.
After football, he worked in broadcasting and as a motivational speaker.
“I snapped the ball and then I went and hit somebody.”
