Joe Paterno Dead at 85: Former Penn State Coach Succumbs to Lung Cancer

UPDATE: A spokesman for the family has denied the report of Joe Paterno’s death. The spokesman said that the rumors are “absolutely not true.” Paterno’s son, Jay, also sent out a tweet, saying: “Reports are wrong – Dad is alive but in serious condition. We continue to ask for your prayers and privacy during this time.”

UPDATE: Paterno has passed away. His family has released an official statement, saying “It is with great sadness that we announce that Joe Paterno passed away earlier today. His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled.”

Original story continues below:

Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno has passed away at the age of 85. The former coach of the Nittany Lions, who won a record 409 games, died tonight after a long battle with lung cancer.

Paterno revealed to the public on November 18th that he was suffering from lung cancer. Nine days later he lost his job at Penn State due to the sexual abuse charges brought against his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

A spokesman for Paterno told ESPN yesterday:

“Over the last few days Joe Paterno has experienced further health complications. His doctors have now characterized his status as serious. His family will have no comment on the situation and asks that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.”

Paterno scored 409 wins (the most in NCAA history) during his 46 seasons with Penn State. He brought the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games (most in NCAA history) and won 24 bowl games (most in NCAA history). But Paterno’s legacy has been tarnished in the last few months.

Sandusky is now being charged with 52 counts of child molestation and many people have criticized Paterno for not going directly to the police after he was made aware of the situation. After the sex scandal broke, Paterno said:

“(This is) one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.”

In an interview with the Washington Post, Paterno added:

“I didn’t know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was… So I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn’t work out that way.”

Paterno is survived by his wife, Sue, and their five children.

How do you think Joe Paterno will be remembered?