Report: Joe Paterno Will Retire at Season's End

Joe Paterno is retiring at the end of the season, according to The Associated Press.

Paterno released a statement earlier to the public,

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I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief.

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I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care. I have the same goal today.

That's why I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can.

This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.

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My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this University.

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Paterno has been the head coach of his prestigious Penn State Nittany Lions since 1966 and had previously served as an assistant since 1950. The man is the definition of Penn State football.

He has a current career record of 409-136-3 with three games plus a bowl game still left to play this season. That win total is the most all time by a FBS coach, and it’s the reason why he is in the College Football Hall of Fame while he is still active.

Paterno has also led his team to two national championships, three Big Ten championships and 24 bowl wins, another record.

But beyond winning and losing, Paterno is known for his philanthropy, commitment to education and dedication to his wife. He is a good person at heart and has coached countless young men through his program.

Penn State has never committed an NCAA violation, and the program has never been sanctioned under his watch. Paterno ran one of the cleanest and purest programs in all of the NCAA despite being a serious contender almost every year.

It’s incredibly unfortunate that Paterno will be leaving his beloved program in such disarray after shocking allegations broke earlier this week about former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Sandusky, a 30-year colleague and friend of Paterno, was accused by a grand jury of sexually assaulting young children while a member of the coaching staff and in retirement on campus.

This has caused a massive scandal to break, and Paterno may or may not have known the extent of Sandusky’s actions. Many are calling for Joe Pa to be fired but with just a few games left, the program will let their long-time leader finish out the season and retire with dignity.

It has been a long, illustrious career for Paterno, and it is sad to see him fade out into the sunset with this scandal looming over his head. His accomplishments on the field and off will overshadow this in the end.