A former Penn State football team doctor testified in court on Tuesday that James Franklin pressured the Nittany Lions medical staff to disqualify a player who had attempted suicide.
Dr. Pete Seidenberg cited this incident among several examples of Franklin allegedly interfering with medical decisions concerning player health.
Seidenberg’s testimony supports an ongoing lawsuit filed by Dr. Scott Lynch, who alleges he was terminated from his role with Penn State athletics due to repeated conflicts with the football coach.
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According to reporting by John Luciew of PennLive/TNS, Seidenberg testified in Dauphin County court about multiple instances where Franklin attempted to influence the medical staff’s decisions.
Seidenberg, who served as a team physician during the early years of Franklin’s tenure, provided these examples to illustrate the coach’s repeated interference in medical matters.
According to John Luciew of PennLive/TNS, Dr. Pete Seidenberg testified in Dauphin County court on Tuesday about multiple instances where James Franklin allegedly tried to interfere with the medical decisions of the Penn State football staff.
One significant example Seidenberg cited involved Franklin and then-athletic director Sandy Barbour pressuring him and Dr. Scott Lynch to medically disqualify a player who was receiving short-term psychiatric care after attempting suicide by jumping out a window.
If this request had been granted, the unnamed player would have lost his scholarship.
While Dr. Seidenberg was not permitted to quote James Franklin directly, he described several instances where he felt the coach attempted to “influence medical decisions.”
These included questioning the number of players on the practice injury list, pushing for a star player to be cleared to play, and pressuring doctors to opt for surgery even when players had chosen more conservative treatment approaches.
The defense frequently objected to Seidenberg’s testimony on the grounds of hearsay, arguing that there is no evidence medical treatment was ever altered due to Franklin’s pressure.
