Penn State football coach Joe Paterno may be released from the hospital on Tuesday after he was blindsided by one his players running a drill during Sunday’s practice, according to the Associated Press.
The famed Nittany lions head coach sustained injuries to his right arm and hip after he was “blindsided” by one of his players during a drill, Penn State said in a statement on their website. The 84-year-old coach walked away after the collision, the school said.
Paterno, who has coached Penn State for 46 seasons, said he expected to return to the practice field as soon as possible. On Monday, he conducted the morning coaches meeting by phone at Mount Nittany Medical Center where he was hospitalized.
“I expect to be back at practice soon,” Paterno said in a statement. “I’m doing fine; tell everyone not to worry about me. I like the effort I have seen from the squad during our first few practices, but we have a long way to go to get ready for the schedule we have.”
Paterno is on the last year of his contract, but hasn’t given any indication as to whether he will walk away from football.
Sunday’s incident during practice wasn’t the first time JoePa was injured on the field. In 2006 he suffered a broken leg in a sideline collision during a game in Wisconsin.
And his meeting with coaches via telephone at the hospital shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who remembers Paterno coaching from the press box in 2008 after injuring his hip.
Penn State kicks off the season Sept. 3 against Indiana State. It will be the Nittany Lions’ 125th season.
–With Associated Press
