Sounds like the NCAA had a load of evidence and were prepared to use it at trial

Paterno Family Abandons All Claims Against NCAA

June 30, 2017 4:34pm

The estate of the late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, his son Jay Paterno, and Bill Kenney today voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit against the NCAA.  The NCAA did not settle the case and provided plaintiffs with no consideration—financial or otherwise. 

“The Paterno family characterized this case as a ‘search for the truth,’” said Donald Remy, NCAA chief legal officer. “Its decision today, after years of investigation and discovery, to abandon its lawsuit rather than subject those facts to courtroom examination is telling.  We believe that the powerful record developed during discovery overwhelmingly confirmed what the NCAA has believed all along: the NCAA acted reasonably in adopting the conclusions of an eight-month investigation by Louis Freeh.”

Remy noted the timing of today’s decision by the Paterno family to voluntarily abandon its lawsuit was only hours before the NCAA was due to file a roughly 100-page summary judgment brief detailing the results of years of exhaustive discovery regarding plaintiffs’ claims. He added the decision “represents a total victory for the NCAA.”

“It is disappointing that so much time, effort, and financial resources have been wasted on efforts by the Paterno family in this litigation,” said Remy. “We must not lose sight of the fact that the real victims are the dozens of innocent children abused by Jerry Sandusky. ”