Death date: January 22, 2012
Birth place: Brooklyn, New York
Birth name: Joseph Vincent Paterno
Father: Angelo Lafayette Paterno, law clerk
Mother: Florence (de Salle) Paterno
Marriage: Suzanne “Sue” (Pohland) Paterno (1962-January 22, 2012, his death)
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June 22, 2012 – Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is found guilty on 45 of 48 counts related to sexual abuse of boys over a 15-year period. He is later sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.
July 12, 2012 – Former FBI Director Louis Freeh releases the findings of the investigation into Penn State’s action concerning Sandusky and child abuse. The report accuses Paterno and other former leaders at Penn State of showing “total and consistent disregard” for child sex abuse victims, while covering up the attacks of a longtime sexual predator.
July 23, 2012 – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules that Penn State must vacate all wins from 1998-2011. Due to the vacated wins, Paterno is no longer the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division I football history. Of his 409 wins, Paterno is stripped of 111, leaving him with 298.
May 30, 2013 – The Paterno family and others file a lawsuit against the NCAA to invalidate sanctions handed down against Penn State in July 2012. Penn State was fined $60 million, stripped of 14 seasons of football victories and reduced scholarships. The NCAA later seeks to dismiss the suit.
January 16, 2015 – The NCAA agrees to restore 112 of Penn State’s wins – 111 of them with Joe Paterno. The agreement is part of a settlement reached between Pennsylvania state officials and Paterno’s family who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA This resolution makes him, once again, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I football. The Paterno family releases a statement on the NCAA’s decision that “A large measure of wrong has been righted.”
