View Photo Gallery: Joe Paterno, fired as Penn State coach after a child sex-abuse scandal involving former assistant Jerry Sandusky, is now facing health issues.
Joe Paterno was hospitalized over the weekend, after a fall in which he fractured his pelvis for the second time since August.
Paterno, fired Nov. 9 as Penn State football coach in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal, was expected to fully recover and will not need surgery, sources told the Associated Press. Paterno, 84, originally broke his pelvis in August when a player blindsided him as he stood on the sideline during practice. He was expected to remain hospitalized to facilitate the radiation and chemotherapy treatments he is receiving for what his son says is a treatable form of lung cancer.
His former players were unaware of his health problems as they met Sunday for a team banquet.
“It got emotional at times,” junior running back Michael Zordich told USA Today. “For the seniors, it has been tough. For four years, they stuck up for Joe in the media and the program, trying to uphold the legacy bestowed upon us. Sometimes it was easier than others. At the end of the day, we do it because we love it. We love Penn State and what it represents. We've all gotten closer because of this whole ordeal.
"To see it come to an end, at least for our coach, was hard. For a guy to put his whole life into the program, we just hated to see it end like that. It was upsetting to see him go out like that. To see our program in turmoil was a little gut-wrenching. At the same time, we were prepared to face adversity. I am more proud of this team than any other I've ever been a part of.”
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