STATE COLLEGE, Pa. —
The Associated Press has reported that Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has decided to retire at end of the season.
The announcement comes in the wake of a sex abuse scandal that’s tarnished Penn State University’s reputation.
A person familiar with the decision said Paterno will announce his retirement later Wednesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the decision has yet to be announced.
People nationwide have called for Paterno to resign, but others have expressed much support for the longtime coach. On Tuesday, hours after the university canceled Paterno’s weekly news conference, Paterno addressed a crowd of supporters that gathered outside his home Tuesday night.
“You know …there’s been some criticism of the way we’ve handled some of the poor victims. You know my wife and I, we have 17 grandkids from 16 to 3. We pray for them every night, but we’re going to start praying for those kids that got some of the problems we talked about. They don’t deserve it. We owe it to them to say a prayer for them to make sure they understand that their life can still be enriched,” Paterno said from his front door.
Paterno, 84, has not defended his former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, who is charged with dozens of sex crimes against children. Paterno said he was prepared to make a statement at his weekly news conference. But after the university canceled it, reporters flocked to his home and Penn State students gathered there as well.
Paterno was cleared of any wrongdoing in the Sandusky scandal, but many people have said they think Paterno should have done more to alert police and expose the alleged child abuse.
Sandusky is accused of molesting eight young boys in his home and at the Penn State campus. On Tuesday, another alleged victim came forward.
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