JoePa gets three-year extension from Penn State

Dec 16, 2008 - 11:34 PM STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania (Ticker) -- Joe Paterno will roam the sidelines in Happy Valley with a new hip and a new contract.

Five days before his 82nd birthday, Paterno and Penn State agreed to a three-year contract extension Tuesday that will keep college football's all-time winningest coach at the school through 2011.

Penn State announced that after meeting with school president Graham Spanier and athletic director Tim Curley, Paterno also agreed to several clauses that could change the nature of the deal.

"It was also agreed that the parties might re-evaluate their circumstances and alter the arrangement by either shortening or extending its length as necessary," the school said in a statement.

No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which was initially reported by FightOnState.com, a web site based out of State College.

Paterno completed his 43rd season at Penn State by guiding the Nittany Lions to a share of the Big Ten title and a berth in the Rose Bowl.

But Paterno was hampered throughout the campaign by a sore hip, an injury he originally suffered while attempting an onside kick during a preseason practice in August.

After watching Penn State's final seven games from the press box and being forced to use a cane, Paterno underwent hip replacement surgery on November 23, one day after the Nittany Lions closed their regular season with a 49-18 rout of Michigan State.

The nagging hip injury led to widespread rumors that Paterno, who did not have a written contract for 2009 prior to Tuesday, would retire after this season.

Paterno, who coached the Nittany Lions to an 11-1 record this season, hopes to be back on the sideline New Year's Day when Penn State faces Southern California in Pasadena.

The Nittany Lions had not reached the Rose Bowl since going 11-0 under Paterno during the 1994 season. Paterno owns a career record of 383-126-3.