Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has been through eight surgeries on his right eye, and he is downplaying how much of an issue the situation is.
Zimmer dealt with a detached retina in his right eye and, after numerous operations, says that the problem is almost certainly fixed, albeit with side effects.
“I’m done with the surgeries,” Zimmer told Peter King of the MMQB. “The doctor said there was less than 1 percent chance that it would detach again. I have a contact lens now in my bad eye, my right eye. Without the contact, I can hardly see anything. With the contact, I can see kind of good. But it doesn’t really affect me that much. It’s more of a nuisance. My other eye is really good. It’s really not an issue. The doctor is only concerned if something happens to my left eye. I feel really strongly that I do this for the fans, for the team, for the organization—I have to do what’s best for the team, not just what’s best for me. Depth perception, close up work, is hard, but people in all walks of life do it all the time. It’s just part of life.”
Zimmer was philosophical about the situation and can think of worse things.
“It’s a little hard,” Zimmer said. “But losing games, that’s worse.”
Zimmer took time during the offseason to get things corrected, and it sounds like they have been as well as they could be. He’ll coach as normal unless something changes.
