Bob Costas says he was not only surprised to land an interview with Penn State's former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky but by the answers he gave
Sandusky is accused of sexually assaulting underage boys during his time at the university.
"I'm thinking, 'I wonder from your standpoint whether that's the smartest thing to do,' but at the same time, sure if you want to do it. Let's get him on the phone," says Costas about what he thought when Sandusky agreed to a phone interview.
As Costas asked the questions in graphic detail, even he was surprised by what he was hearing.
"What about Mike McQueary, the grad assistant who in 2002 walked into the shower where he says in specific detail that you were forcibly raping a boy who appeared to be 10 or 11 years old?," Costas asked at one point. "That his hands were up against the shower wall and he heard rhythmic slap, slap, slapping sounds and he described it as rape?"
"Shortly after that a janitor said he saw you performing oral sex in the Penn State locker facility."
When Sandusky continued to deny the numerous allegations against him, Costas plainly said: "It seems that if all of these accusations are false, you are the unluckiest and most persecuted man that any of us has ever heard about it."
"I don't know what you want me to say," replied a blank Sandusky.
But perhaps the most shocking moment came when Costas asked Sandusky if he was sexually attracted to underage boys.
"Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? Sexually attracted? You know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. I, I, But no, I'm not sexually attracted to young boys."
"I'll let the viewer infer what they want from that, but it was somewhat odd," Costas said after the interview.
The quickly put together exclusive interview could be a defining moment for the future of NBC's 'Rock Center'.