STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) – Penn State and football have been in Jay Paterno’s blood since he was born.
Raised by legendary head football coach, Joe Paterno and wife Sue, Jay went on to play for the Nittany Lions and then coach, as an assistant for over a decade. Now, since leaving the game Jay has found a new love, writing books. His second book, “Hot Seat – A Year Inside College Football’s Pressure Cooker,” hit shelves Monday. It’s a reality-based fiction book, looking behind the scenes at a major football program and what they go through.
“It kind of made me miss the game a little bit,” Paterno told WTAJ in a wide ranging interview. He also revealed what he misses the most about being on the field on Saturdays.
“I miss my dad. That was the main thing. We would walk home from games.”
Jay’s Dad, Penn State’s legendary head football coach, Joe Paterno passed away in 2012 due to complications from lung cancer.
Jay has been away from the football field for almost 10 years now. He serves as a trustee at Penn State. But in terms of a possible return to coaching, Paterno said this, “this year (or) next year were probably the years I was gonna try and get back into it. I’ve got a couple other things I’m working on right now that’ll get me around the game,” he went on to say.
As far as his new book, “Hot Seat – A Year Inside College Football’s Pressure Cooker,” it is on sale now wherever you buy your books.