Penn State football will honor former Penn State Director of Athletic Medicine Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli with a helmet sticker and a moment of silence ahead of its season opener against Marshall on Saturday, the team announced Friday afternoon.

On Saturday, we will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Wayne J. Sebastianelli with a helmet sticker and moment of silence in his memory. pic.twitter.com/yRwyVuzfnv

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) September 4, 2026

Sebastianelli served in the role for 32 years, starting in 1992. He passed away on May 4 at age 68.

Penn State football players, new and old, took to social media to honor Sebastianelli after his passing, with many crediting him as one of the most important figures in their Penn State journey. One of them was former Penn State cornerback Adam Taliaferro, who suffered a debilitating spinal cord injury on the field in 2000.

Taliaferro told Onward State that Sebastianelli and Tom Bradley were key to his recovery, and that they planned to have him run out of the Beaver Stadium tunnel less than a year after his injury.

“[Sebastianelli] just looked me in the eyes, like, ‘Adam, whatever you do, people will appreciate it,’” Taliaferro said. “When he said that to me, there was this calmness that went over me, and I remember just being so excited too. I felt like I was a football player again.”

While Sebastianelli never saw a Matt Campbell-led Penn State team, Campbell understands the impact he’s had on the program through the last three decades.

“For the short time I was able to know Dr. Sebastianelli, I could see why he was such an important piece of this incredible brotherhood we have at Penn State Football,” Campbell said in a release. “The impact he had on this football program and athletics department was second to none. Penn State football will be forever grateful for his contributions and the standard he set for everyone around him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Sebastianelli family.” 

Sebastianelli also served in roles with Penn State Health, Center County Region, Penn State College of Medicine, the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, and was the chief of staff at Mount Nittany Medical Center and Mount Nittany Surgical Center.

Now, the Nittany Lions will honor him as they plunge into a new era. It is unclear if the helmet sticker will be worn through the entire season.