Jerry Sandusky Interview To Air On ‘Today’ Show

An interview with Jerry Sandusky will air on the Today Show on Monday, giving the disgraced former Penn State coach a chance to speak about the scandal the put him behind bars for a 30- to 60-year sentence.

Sandusky was convicted of 45 counts of child sex abuse last year for incidents that took place while he was an assistant coach. He was accused of using his position at the university and his non-profit organization to find young victims, some of whom he assaulted on Penn State grounds.

The Penn State scandal came to light when investigators charged Sandusky and a subsequent investigation found that legendary coach Joe Paterno knew about allegations against Sandusky but swept them under the rug.

Though Sandusky did not speak in his defense at the trial, he has given a television interview before. In late 2011 he spoke with Bob Costas in what was seen as a blow to his defense and his reputation.

When asked if he was completely innocent of the accusations, Sandusky delivered an answer that was later used by the prosecution in his trial.

“Well, I could say that, you know, I have done some of those things,” Sandusky answered. “I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their leg. Without intent of sexual contact. But — so if you look at it that way — there are things that wouldn’t, you know, would be accurate.”

The Sandusky interview on Today offers the former coach a chance to give his account of what happened in the Penn State scandal.

“He’ll describe in his own words what he says happened on the Penn State campus,” Matt Lauer said of the interview.

In the 69-year-old Sandusky’s interview on Today, he is expected to talk about the role Paterno played in the scandal and address Mike McQueary, a graduate assistant coach who caught Sandusky assaulting a child and reported it to Paterno.