Steve Molnar, who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1969 to 1978, died Saturday at age 73.
By Rob Vanstone – Jan 17, 2021
Steve Molnar, a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1969 to 1978, died Saturday. He was 73.
In 1976, Molnar succeeded the iconic George Reed — who had surprisingly retired in May of that year — as the starting fullback and helped the Roughriders finish first in the CFL’s Western Conference.
Most memorably, Molnar rushed for a career-high 144 yards in the West final to power Saskatchewan to a 23-13 victory over Edmonton at Taylor Field. During the 1976 regular season, he led the Roughriders in rushing yards (with 822) despite missing two games — and a shot at the 1,000-yard milestone — due to a knee injury.
“Steve was the ultimate team guy,” said former Roughriders president-CEO Jim Hopson, who was an offensive lineman with the team from 1973 to 1976.
“He did not get a lot of carries backing up George, but he was always ready. He was a great blocker and special-teams guy. It was great to see him get his chance in ’76 and he stepped up in a big way.”
Molnar rushed for 2,549 yards — averaging 4.5 yards per carry — and 20 touchdowns during his CFL career. He also caught 142 passes for 1,552 yards, for an average of 10.9 yards per reception, and two scores.
In the days before blocking was allowed on punt returns, Molnar bravely fielded 185 boots and averaged 7.8 yards per return.
Molnar starred in high school football for the Aden Bowman Bears and also left a lasting imprint as a member of the school’s track and field team. In 1964, he threw the discus 44.98 metres to establish an enduring Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association junior boys record. He was also the president of Aden Bowman Collegiate’s SRC.
After graduating from Aden Bowman, Molnar played junior football with the Saskatoon Hilltops before accepting a scholarship offer from George Washington University. He transferred to the University of Utah, from which he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, after George Washington dropped its football program midway through his sophomore year.
As a first-year Roughrider, Molnar made his first of three Grey Cup appearances. He also played in the CFL championship games of 1972 and 1976.
While with the Roughriders, Molnar worked in the insurance industry before joining Reed Stenhouse (working in lead mining operation inspections) and SGI (marketing).
Molnar retired from football as the Roughriders’ 1979 training camp, which took place under the direction of first-year head coach and long-time teammate Ron Lancaster, loomed.
“My time is up,” Molnar, then 32, told Regina Leader-Post sports editor Bob Hughes. “You have to walk away from it before it walks away from you. I respect the Riders, and Ronnie, too much to just go through the motions.”
At the time of Molnar’s retirement, Reed paid him many compliments.
“Steve was an excellent player,” Reed told Hughes. “When he came up to the Riders, he had to play behind me. He would have started for a lot of other clubs, but he was here. I never heard him complain about it at all. He just wanted to contribute and do anything to help the team win.”
The Leader-Post’s Hall of Fame sports columnist echoed those sentiments.
“His departure from the game will be a quiet one because Steve Molnar was not a running back whose career was showered in stardust,” Hughes wrote. “He did not have the blinding speed or the great moves. He did not win any rushing championships or make any all-star teams.
“But none of that should ever be allowed to diminish his value to the Saskatchewan Roughriders and all those years in which he was a part of a football dynasty. It is players like Steve Molnar who, in the long run, are the backbones to any team success, whose sacrifices and moments of dedication genuinely exceed the call of duty.”
In 1987, Molnar left Saskatchewan with his family to pursue a new career in Newmarket Ont. He led customer service initiatives for two automotive businesses — Hyundai Canada and Nissan Canada — before returning to the field of engineering as a home inspection agent and home renovation contractor.
Molnar is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joan, who resides in Beamsville, Ont. The Molnars had four children — Allyson (who lives in Stoney Creek, Ont.), Emily (Amsterdam, Holland), Jeremy (Toronto) and Adam (Halifax) — and seven grandchildren (Riley, Ariana, Macauley, Madden, Abigail, Hadley,and Wyatt).
“Steve enjoyed talking sports with his grandkids and constant story telling of his many adventures in college and professional football,” Jeremy Molnar said.
“Football is how he will most be remembered, but for family and friends he was a great father, friend and grandpa.
“Steve had an inspiring sprit, was a thoughtful story-teller, had a caring nature, and strived to see the greater good in the connections we make. He had a quiet nature but had a huge impact on those around him through football, his professional accolades and through friendship.”
rvanstone@postmedia.com
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VIA: https://leaderpost.com/sports/football/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders/former-saskatchewan-roughriders-fullback-steve-molnar-remembered-as-the-ultimate-team-guy
Photo by Roy Antal
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