After 17 years, Jay Paterno is leaving Penn State's coaching staff

Jay Paterno often had referred to the last nine weeks as a "roller-coaster ride" after the filing of charges in a child sexual-abuse scandal that ultimately cost his father his job as Penn State's head football coach after 46 years.

Now the younger Paterno has lost his coaching job as well. The 17-year veteran of Joe Paterno's staff disclosed Tuesday that he was not being retained by new coach Bill O'Brien.

"Thanks to so many Penn Staters for so many good years," Paterno said on Twitter. "Until we meet again . . ."

Paterno, who joined his father's staff as tight ends coach in 1995, spent the last 12 seasons as quarterbacks coach working with such players as Michael Robinson and Daryll Clark. But with O'Brien, the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, likely to revamp what had been a mediocre Lions offense in 2011, there didn't appear to be a spot for him on the new staff.

Paterno, 43, said he and O'Brien spoke this week, and the two "reached the conclusion that I will not be a part of the Penn State football staff moving forward."

It has not been an easy time for Paterno, one of five children of the Hall of Fame coach. Joe Paterno was fired Nov. 9 by the board of trustees, with the panel apparently deciding that he did not go far enough to facilitate the apprehension of former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky after being told of an alleged assault of a child in the football building in 2002.

Two days after the firing, Jay Paterno and his family revealed that his father had lung cancer. Then, on Dec. 10, Joe Paterno broke his pelvis in a fall at his home and was hospitalized for a week.

While all this was happening, Jay Paterno tried to remain focused on coaching, but admitted it was difficult.

"You think about him," Jay Paterno said of his father. "He's somebody that's been a big part of your life and has had a big impact on your life."

In an ESPN interview Sunday, Paterno said his father was doing fine and was "chomping at the bit" to tell his side of the story in the Sandusky case.

As for his future, Jay Paterno said last month that he would speak to his wife about whether he'd seek another coaching opportunity or pursue another line of work. He told the Associated Press on Tuesday, "It will take some time to think about what to do next."

Other than the period from 1990 to 1994, when he worked as an assistant coach at Virginia, Connecticut, and James Madison, he has lived all his life in State College.

Paterno issued a statement Tuesday thanking his former players and Penn State fans for their support, both throughout his career and in the time since the child sexual-abuse scandal surfaced.

"Through the tumult of the past several weeks, it has been your stalwart support combined with life lessons learned from Joe Paterno that has and continue to sustain us," he said.

Paterno concluded his statement by saying, "I wish the program the best of luck in carrying on the academic and athletic excellence that have been a hallmark of this university for decades."

Tom Bradley, who spent 33 years on the coaching staff and served as interim head coach for the final four games of 2011, is not likely to return, although his fate has not been officially announced.