Report: Paterno Family Rejects Offer To Rename Penn State Football Field In Joe's Honor

Joe Paterno never wanted the Penn State University football field named after him, according to Sara Ganim of the Patriot-News. It would be "a tremendous and humbling honor," but it "has always been a fan-driven matter" and "was never important to Joe," says a Paterno family source.

University officials tried to make a renamed Beaver Stadium part of the final contract payout to the estate of former coach Paterno, who died on Jan. 22 after a bout with lung cancer. The family said no.

Tensions have flared between the Paterno family and university officials ever since the coach's Nov. 9 firing for his “failure of leadership” after the alleged sexual assaults perpetrated by former assistant Jerry Sandusky.