Mike McQueary reportedly said he was a sexual abuse victim

Former Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary told Nittany Lions players that he could relate to a Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse victim because he too had been abused as a boy, according to a report.

ESPN The Magazine’s Don Van Natta Jr. profiled McQueary, who is a key witness in the conspiracy trial of three former Penn State executives accused of covering of Sandusky’s crimes. In the profile, Van Natta Jr. says McQueary told players during a Nov. 2011 meeting that he had been sexually abused as a boy. That meeting was held when the Sandusky scandal was going on. McQueary was an offensive coach at Penn State at the time. He did not say how old he was when he was abused nor who abused him.

McQueary was initially widely criticized for not stopping the sexual crime he witnessed between Sandusky and a young boy inside the Penn State locker room. It wasn’t until after all the criticism that McQueary said he made sure the act stopped before he left and eventually reported to Joe Paterno what he saw.

Though Paterno’s legacy and status took a major hit as many believed he allowed Sandusky to get away with all the sexual abuse, McQueary says he still reveres JoePa.

“I love that man more than you can ever possibly say,” McQueary told The Mag. “He’s an unbelievable man. He did unbelievable things. He handled this thing in the best way he could. Was it foolproof or perfect? No. But I didn’t handle this in a foolproof or perfect way either. I am loyal to him to this day. I absolutely love him.”

McQueary is also involved in a whistleblower lawsuit filed against Penn State. He says his reputation took a major hit because of the whole situation and that he believes he can no longer work in coaching.

The defense reportedly plans to question McQueary’s character. One thing they’ve found is that McQueary supposedly gambled while in college and racked up a debt. He supposedly bet on college football and NFL games and even lost money betting on Penn State.