The Penn State football coach died on Sunday of lung cancer
Legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has died of lung cancer on Sunday at the age of 85. Paterno’s declining health coincided with a sad end to his 46-year career at the university. He became a hall of famer for his multiple championships and lossless seasons, and set records for the longest tenure by a coach at a single school. But in fall of 2011, Paterno’s career came to an ignominious end when he was fired over allegations that he turned a blind eye to the sexual abuse allegations against his former assistant, Jerry Sandusky. Paterno said that he “backed away and turned it over to some other people.” He was popular at the university, and his dismissal caused students to protest in his favour, but for others, the revelations were a permanent blot on his legacy as a coach.