Jay Paterno hasn't been a member of the Penn State coaching staff since early 2012, but he's not quite done with the university.
Paterno is seeking more than $1 million in a suit against Penn State stemming from his dismissal from the coaching staff following the hiring of Bill O'Brien as head coach in January of 2012.
Paterno and another former Nittany Lions assistant, Bill Kenney, filed the wrongful-termination suit Tuesday in Philadelphia federal court, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Paterno and Kenney allege that Penn State engaged in civil conspiracy against them. Both men served on the staff under Paterno's father, Joe, who was fired soon after retired Penn State assistant Jerry Sandusky was charged with child molestation.
The suit alleges that the university worked with NCAA President Mark Emmert and investigator Louis Freeh, and that their "concerted actions" caused irreparable damage to Jay Paterno's and Kenney's reputations. Paterno and Kenney claim Penn State's acceptance of NCAA sanctions in the wake of the Sandusky scandal destroyed any realistic chances they had to be hired at the collegiate or pro level, or with a national-media company.
Paterno claims in the suit that he applied for head-coaching jobs at Boston College, Colorado, Connecticut and James Madison, but never received an interview at any of the schools. Paterno made a brief run for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor earlier this year and is the author of forthcoming book "Paterno Legacy: Enduring Lessons From The Life and Death of My Father," which is due out Sept. 1, according to Paterno's Twitter bio. Kenney serves as an assistant coach on the Western Michigan staff.
Per the Post-Gazette, this isn't the first lawsuit Paterno and Kenney have filed against Penn State, as they're also plaintiffs in a suit against the NCAA and the university.
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