Ed Molstad
Football Builder - Inducted 2012
Ed Molstad has been the voice and guide to Canadian Football League players as the architect of the legal agreement that governs the relationship between players and the CFL. He established free agency, minimum salaries, pension plan, an arbitration system, and injury protection. His work also benefited young football players in regulating agents and with the expansion of rosters providing greater opportunities.
During his years at the University of Alberta, Ed was a member of the Golden Bear Football team. He was selected to the Western Collegiate All-Star Team for four consecutive years and at the age of 17 was one the youngest players ever awarded this honour. In 1966 he was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He returned to the Golden Bears in 1967 and was awarded the Frank Morris Trophy as the Team’s Most Valuable Lineman. Ed was part of the drive to the National Championship and the Bears' first-ever Vanier Cup victory.
Ed originally became involved with the CFL Players Association as a member of the 1968 to 1973 Edmonton Eskimos Football Teams. In 1969, he was elected as the Eskimos’ Player Representative. He would remain as their representative until he retired from playing in 1973. Ed also helped create the Edmonton Eskimo Alumni Association and the Golden Bears Alumni Association. He then became the Legal Counsel to the Canadian Football League Players Association in 1974. In thirty-eight years of involvement, no single person has had more influence for the improvement of working conditions for the players. In 2006 Ed received the CFL Commissioner’s Award for outstanding contributions to the League.
