Vikings' Mike Zimmer to have emergency eye surgery
By Jeremy Bergman NFL.com
Mike Zimmer may not be on the sidelines Thursday.
The Vikings coach will have emergency eye surgery on Wednesday night, the team announced, and his status for Thursday night's game is uncertain.
"Mike Zimmer is having emergency eye surgery tonight," general manager Rick Spielman said in a statement. "His status for coaching tomorrow's game is uncertain. I have met with the coaches and players and we have a contingency plan in place if Mike is unable to coach against Dallas."
Earlier this month, Zimmer underwent a minor medical procedure for a torn retina in his right eye after the coach said he scratched his eye during a Monday night loss to the Bears.
"The doctors, after the game, they checked and had me get in for an appointment, and I found out that I had a torn retina," Zimmer said, per the team's website. "Dr. Scott Sanderson and Dr. David Williams performed a procedure on my eye, fortunately.
"They said if you don't take care of those things that you have a possibility of going blind."
At the time, Zimmer added that he was watching game film with one eye and was, at times, forced to wear reading glasses.
If Zimmer is to miss Thursday night's vital matchup with the Cowboys, the Vikings will likely turn to newly promoted offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur or offensive line coach Tony Sparano.
Both coaches have head coaching experience -- Shurmur with the Browns and Sparano with the Dolphins. Shurmer also acted as interim coach for one game in Philadelphia in 2015 following Chip Kelly's exit. Sparano was the interim coach in Oakland in 2014 following the midseason firing of Dennis Allen.