High-Profile Members of Penn State’s Lettermen Club Disavow Paul Suhey

Everyone knows Paul Suhey has a tough task ahead of him if he wants to win re-election to Penn State’s Board of Trustees. The former Penn State football player has been vilified in particular for his role in the board’s failures over the last 16 months because of his close connection with the Paterno family.

It’s likely that no candidate has been criticized more than Suhey, especially after his infamous line — The Board of Trustees didn’t fire Joe Paterno, it just “retired him three weeks early.” But today’s criticism hits especially close to home.

A letter released Friday signed by 11 former Penn State football lettermen — including Franco Harris, Todd Blackledge, Michael Robinson, and Lydell Mitchell — calls out Suhey specifically, and urges fellow lettermen to not vote for him in the upcoming Board of Trustees election.

“Actions speak louder than words and if Suhey disagreed with the actions the board was taking he had both an obligation and a duty to speak up and cast his vote accordingly. The fact that he failed to do so only underscores the point that he is not fit to serve on the board a day longer,” the letter states.

You can read the full letter below.

(Update March 29, 11:00 p.m.) Paul Suhey has now responded to the letter and defended his decision to fire his former coach. Suhey told PennLive that the values Joe Paterno taught him led to that decision.

“I understand that there are many people who believe it was the wrong decision, as much as I believe it was the right one. I am OK with that and I respect the opinions of others who disagree with me.”

Click here to read letter to the Penn State Football Letterman’s Club