Sports media personality Mike J. Asti shared details on social media about the firing of coach James Franklin at Penn State on Sunday.The school dismissed Franklin after the Nittany Lions succumbed to Northwestern 22-21 on Saturday to drop to 3-3 (0-3 Big Ten). On X on Sunday, Asti, the managing editor at WV Sports Now and Pittsburgh Sports Now, disclosed an angle that led to the firing of Franklin, who had been at the helm of Penn State since 2014 and led the Nittany Lions to the 2016 Big Ten title.A Penn State source told Asti on Sunday that German athletic apparel company Adidas had something to do with the move."Source at Penn State: I have been told that Adidas drove the James Franklin firing and are why it happened today. They committed to pay most or all of the money. They also wanted a new coach before recent losses, but they made it hard for anyone at PSU to argue," Asti tweeted.Franklin went 104-45 at Penn State and guided the team to wins in the Fiesta Bowl (2017 and 2024), Pinstripe Bowl (2014), Cotton Bowl (2019) and Rose Bowl (2022).Last year was his best season at University Park, leading the program to a 13-3 record (8-1 Big Ten). In the College Football Playoff, Penn State defeated SMU (38-10) and Boise State (31-14) before losing to Notre Dame (27-24) in the semifinal.This season started with promise, with Penn State winning its first three games to peak at No. 2 in the AP Poll. But a string of losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern brought the Nittany Lions down to the cellar of the Big Ten standings and out of the poll altogether. Plus, they lost star quarterback Drew Allar for the rest of the season due to a leg injury.In early September, Penn State and Adidas announced a 10-year partnership that will begin on July 1, with the school departing longtime supplier Nike.Penn State AD hails James Franklin's achievements despite firingPenn State athletic director Pat Kraft expressed his gratitude to James Franklin within the announcement of his firing on Sunday. In a statement, Kraft mentioned the important games in which the coach guided the Nittany Lions to victory, but he defended the school's decision to oust Franklin."However, we hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards," Kraft said. "And we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships.”James Franklin will gain $49.7 million as part of the buyout clause on the 10-year contract extension he signed in 2021 (according to USA Today). The figure ranks second behind former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher (around $76 million) as the most expensive buyout in college football history.Although Franklin brought the team close to the national championship final last season, his Penn State teams had gotten a reputation for their inability to win big games, going 4-21 against top 10 foes (1-18 in Big Ten play). Associated head coach Terry Smith will be Penn State's interim head coach for the remainder of the season.