Joe Paterno, Legendary Penn State Football Coach, Dead at 85

Joe Paterno, the embattled former head coach at Penn State University, has died of cancer, according to the Associated Press. He was 85. 

ESPN's Staff has confirmed the news, reporting that,

"

"Joe Paterno has died at the age of 85 after experiencing serious complications from lung-cancer treatment.

The health of Paterno, who had fought the disease for two months, had grown progressively worse after he recently broke his pelvis in a fall at his home in State College, Pa.

The family announced his death Sunday shortly after 10 a.m. ET.

Paterno died at State College's Mount Nittany Medical Center, where he had been undergoing treatment.

Paterno remained connected to a ventilator into Sunday, individuals close to Paterno's family told The Washington Post."

"

New York Times' Pete Thamel provided more details on Paterno's passing.

Paterno was the most successful coach in college football history, building a powerhouse program at the land-grant school. His career spanned more than 60 years, all of them at Penn State, and saw him bring home a pair of national titles to the Nittany Lions. 

The longtime Nittany Lions coach was dismissed from his post in Nov. , after a scandal involving alleged sexual misconduct by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky tarnished his legacy and that of his program.

When Paterno retired after being relieved of his coaching duties on Nov. 9, 2011, many in college football saw him as one of the patriarchs of the sport, a man who had been with the same program his entire career, beginning in 1950 as an assistant coach. 

His son announced that Paterno was being treated for lung cancer on Nov. 18, 2011, just days after being dismissed as the team's head coach. His family members made public statements telling fans and supporters that the cancer was treatable. 

However, as time passed it became clear that the treatments were not going well, and many close to the family wondered if this year would be JoePa's final Christmas. 

While Paterno's exit was less than the glorious ride into the sunset many envisioned, it shouldn't cloud what was without a doubt one of the most impressive coaching resumes the sport has ever seen. 

The longtime coach retired as the NCAA record holder for wins and bowl victories, going 409-136-2 in his time with Penn State. He sits tied with Amos Alonzo Stagg for the most games coached in college history. 

Paterno was the quarterback at Brown University from 1946-1949, then moved directly into coaching at Penn State in 1950, as an assistant. 15 years later, he took the reins of the program, and took it on an unprecedented run to the top of college football, building the school into a midwestern force to be reckoned with. 

Eventually, Paterno delivered a pair of national titles, in 1982 and 1986, proving that his system could earn national titles. 

It was not simply that Paterno won that eventually won him the hearts of football fans the country over; it was how he won. The coach preached the virtues of doing things the right way, requiring players to be students first and athletes second.

In the 21st century, though, things took a turn for the worse for JoePa. The Nittany Lions slumped to 3-9 and 4-7 records in 2003 and 2004, and many in the media (and the athletic department) began pressuring him to retire. 

But, the coach proved himself once again, righting the ship and delivering an 11-1 season the following year, silencing all the critics who claimed he was unable to win in the modern era, while endearing himself to a new generation of students. He took Penn State to the Orange Bowl in 2005, and followed that up with the Rose Bowl in 2008, and finished with at least 9 wins every season from 2005 through 2009. 

In the end, the winning wasn't enough to save Paterno from the sex abuse scandal that rocked the quiet college town in 2011. Despite being at no legal fault in the case, having reported the alleged abuse to his superiors, many rightfully believed that Paterno could have done more to prevent the incidents from continuing. 

Paterno was relieved of duty nine games into the season, and the University moved quickly to sever ties with him, resulting in a riot by the University's student body in protest of the decision and the ham-handed way the school had decided to cut ties with it's iconic coach. 

Despite the scandal, Paterno's legacy remains as one of the icons of the sport, one of the names synonymous with college football. He remains the face not just of Penn State's football program, but of the university as a whole (despite the school's best efforts to distance themselves from him late in life). He remains beloved by Penn State fans and football fans across the country. 

Paterno leaves behind a wife, Sue, and five kids, Diana, Jay (currently the quarterbacks coach at Penn State), Mary Kay, David and Scott, and 17 grandchildren.

As of now, no funeral or memorial service plans have been announced by the family or the university, but plans for a public service or visitation are likely to come in the next couple of days.