Longtime CFL player Steve Dennis dead at 74

Photo: Suma Cards. Photo edit: 3DownNation.

Former CFL defensive back Steve Dennis has died at the age of 74, according to Saskatchewan Roughriders in-house reporter Rob Vanstone.

The six-foot-four, 185-pound defender spent the 1975 and 1976 seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, then the 177 to 1984 seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was named All-East Division with the Argonauts in 1976.

The native of Shreveport, La. recorded 35 interceptions, five fumble recoveries, two sacks, and six punt returns for 19 yards over 124 career regular-season CFL games. Tackles were not registered as an official CFL statistic until after Dennis concluded his playing career.

Dennis was inducted into Saskatchewan’s Plaza of Honour in 2007 alongside Vic Stevenson and Bobby Thompson.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders finished first in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 12-6 record, finishing first in the West Division for the first time since 2019. The team went on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg, marking the team’s first championship in 12 years. Trevor Harris went 11-5 as a starter, throwing for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

The Roughriders ranked second in net offence, second in net defence, and tied for third with a turnover differential of plus-eight. The club’s leading rusher was A.J. Ouellette with 1,222 yards, leading receiver was KeeSean Johnson with 1,159 yards, and leading tackler was A.J. Allen with 91 tackles. Saskatchewan finished second in attendance with average crowds of 28,427, which was a 2.7 percent increase from the previous year.