The Saskatchewan Roughriders are ready to honour three of their all-time greats.
The Green and White unveiled their Plaza of Honour Class of 2024 on Wednesday morning.
The Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation, alongside the Plaza of Honour Selection Committee, have announced that three-time Grey Cup starting quarterback Darian Durant, 10-year CFL running back Steve Molnar (posthumous) and former Riders General Manager Roy Shivers will be the Plaza of Honour inductees.
Darian Durant, who’s highly sought Double Talk with Darian Durant airs on the All New SportsCage on Monday afternoons, is a three-time Grey Cup starting Quarterback with the Roughriders. Including starting under centre for the most iconic game in Rider history, the 2013 Grey Cup.
Roy Shivers became the first black General Manager in CFL history when he led the Birmingham Barracudas in 1995. Shivers, would join the Roughriders in late December of 1999 and soon hired Danny Barrett, thereby forming the first Black GM/Head Coach tandem in professional football history. As the Roughriders’ GM, Shivers signed or recruited 11 future Plaza of Honour inductees and 16 players who earned CFL All-Star honours while in Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan-born Steve Molnar played for the Roughriders from 1969 to 1978. Replacing the retired George Reed at fullback in 1976, Molnar proceeded to lead the Roughriders in regular season rushing yards (822). Molnar may be best known for his career-best 144 yards to power Saskatchewan to a 23-13 victory over Edmonton in the 1976 Western Conference.
Durant, Molnar and Shivers will be formally enshrined into the Plaza of Honour during a special ceremony at halftime on October 12th against the B.C. Lions.
More on the 2024 inductees:
Darian Durant, Quarterback, 2006-2016:
Born on Aug. 19, 1982, in Florence S.C.
Played college football at North Carolina.
Quarterbacked Roughriders in 2009, 2010 and 2013 Grey Cups.
Roughriders’ All-Time leader in rushing yards by a quarterback (2,922).
Starting quarterback in the first home-field Grey Cup victory in franchise history (Nov. 24, 2013); threw three touchdown passes in 45-23 victory over Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Named Roughriders’ Most Outstanding Player in 2009 and 2010.
As a first-year full-time starter in 2009, he helped the Roughriders finish first in the West for the first time since 1976.
Scored the Roughriders’ final TD at historic Mosaic Stadium (Oct. 22, 2016 vs. Montreal).
One of four players who took part in historic Mosaic Stadium’s closing ceremonies on Oct. 22, 2016 (along with George Reed, Roger Aldag and Gene Makowsky).
Steve Molnar, (Posthumous) Running Back, 1969-1978
Roughrider from 1969 to 1978.
Born in Saskatoon (Feb. 28, 1947); died on Jan. 16, 2021, in Newmarket, Ont.
Attended Aden Bowman Collegiate in Saskatoon before joining the Saskatoon Hilltops.
Played college football at George Washington University before transferring to the University of Utah when GWU dropped football during his sophomore year; graduated from Utah with a degree in mechanical engineering.
Rushed for 2,549 yards and 20 touchdowns with the Roughriders; also caught 142 passes for 1,552 yards and two TDs, one of which was a 63-yarder (1977).
Played in 1969, 1972 and 1976 Grey Cup Games.
Roughriders’ Most Outstanding Canadian in 1976 and 1977.
Led the 1976 Roughriders in rushing yards (822) while helping the team finish first in the Western Conference. That was the season in which he succeeded George Reed, who had retired in May of 1976, as the Roughriders’ starting fullback. (Molnar missed two full games due to injury. If not for that, he may very well have rushed for 1,000 yards.)
Father, Steve Sr., played for the Roughriders in 1943.
Roy Shivers, General Manager, 1999-2006
Born on July 8, 1941, in Halley, Arkansas.
Roughriders’ General Manager from Dec. 23, 1999 to Aug. 21, 2006.
First Black GM in Roughriders history; also, the first Black GM in CFL history (1995 Birmingham Barracudas).
Along with Danny Barrett, formed first Black GM/Head Coach tandem in professional football history.
2022 inductee into Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a builder; played key role in providing talent for Saskatchewan, Birmingham, Saskatchewan and B.C.
After taking over a three-win team in late 1999, he turned Saskatchewan into a perennial playoff participant by 2002
Under Shivers, Roughriders appeared in 2003 and 2004 West Division finals. The latter game, in B.C., was decided in OT (Lions won 27-25).
Pulled off one of the most impactful trades in league history. On April 12, 2006, he obtained two future Grey Cup-winning quarterbacks — Kerry Joseph and Darian Durant — in the same deal with Hamilton. Shivers traded for the first overall pick in the Ottawa Renegades dispersal draft and used that choice to select Joseph. As part of the deal, Shivers acquired the negotiation-list rights to Durant. Joseph was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2007.
