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Come Fan with UsSunday, June 21, 2026

Joe Paterno Not Involved In Cover-Up, Says Paterno Family

The Freeh report is scheduled to be released on Thursday, which will reveal the findings of the investigation into the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State. Joe Paterno’s family asked that all of his emails and records be included in the report, hoping his role in the story would cast him in a better light than email snippets reported by CNN that implied Paterno helped recommend the cover-up.

The Paternos didn’t get a chance to meet with the Freeh group to tell their side of the story, and have released a statement prior to the release of the findings. The family argues that Paterno being involved in a cover-up is purely media spin and that Paterno was unaware of what Jerry Sandusky was doing.

Joe Paterno did not cover up for Jerry Sandusky. Joe Paterno did not know that Jerry Sandusky was a pedophile. Joe Paterno did not act in any way to prevent a proper investigation of Jerry Sandusky. To claim otherwise is a distortion of the truth.

The family also noted in the release that they’re still willing to meet with the Freeh Group to review the findings and offer a response, but it doesn’t appear that the group is interested and the Paternos won’t be able to read the full report until it’s released on Thursday.

For more on Nittany Lions football, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries, plus Big Ten blog Off Tackle Empire and SB Nation Pittsburgh.

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