NEW YORK (WFAN) - A former child-abuse victim himself, former football grad assistant Matt Paknis believes Joe Paterno knew about Jerry Sandusky’s alleged sexual abuse against children years ago.

Paknis joined WFAN’s Mike Francesa on Tuesday to talk about his time at Penn State.

LISTEN: Matt Paknis with Mike Francesa

Paknis was a graduate assistant on the Nittany Lions football staff in 1987 and 1988. He says Sandusky exhibited questionable behavior towards the players back then.

As a childhood victim of sexual abuse, he said he remembered thinking how inappropriate it was when he saw Sandusky tickle and pinch little boys during football camps, sometimes putting them in headlocks.

“I thought it was a boundary issue, more than anything else,” Paknis said.

Paknis described Paterno’s rule over the Penn State campus as absolute.  “I think he had more power in the state of Pennsylvania than anybody.”

When asked about the possibility that Paterno could not be aware of reports on Sandusky’s behavior Paknis said it was “impossible.”

“Joe knows everything,” he said.

Paknis also said that he could envision a scenario where Paterno attempted to cover up Sandusky’s actions.

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