Zimmer says he would coach with one eye, expects to return to Vikings in June
By Adam Patrick
The Minnesota Vikings’ head coach talked about how he is currently spending his time away from the team during a conference call with the local media on Friday.
As the Minnesota Vikings were conducting their annual OTA practices this week, the intimidating presence of Mike Zimmer was nowhere to be found. That is because Zimmer is unhappily resting at home currently while his right eye continues to heal following the head coach undergoing his eighth (and hopefully final) eye surgery on May 17.
Friday morning, the Vikings’ coach spoke during a conference call with the local Minnesota media and provided everyone with how he has been spending his time away from the team.
"“Usually I love it down here in my place but I don’t love it too much this week. My house is done, and I’m just kind of cleaning it up a little bit. I go for walks, (Friday) morning I went up to my neighbor’s and had breakfast.I get on my quad and ride around the property a little bit, nothing really strenuous. I fished a little bit, just stuff like that.”"
In addition to having some more free time, Zimmer has still been in contact with the Vikings’ players and coaches almost everyday he has been gone. The team has sent him film from each practice session this week and Minnesota’s head coach has still been able to fulfill some of his coaching duties despite not even being in the same state.
"“The players are probably getting tired of me texting them because I text them things I see on tape. Then I talk to the coaches and make sure they relay it. The coaches have done a great job relaying the message from one practice to another about things I think we have to get better at in all three phases.”More from The Viking Age6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings historyFormer Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC NorthBears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022"
After revealing that he is eyeing a return date to the Vikings on June 4, Zimmer was quick to eliminate any doubts regarding his eye problem affecting the future of his coaching career.
"“I’ll be back shortly. One eye or two, it really doesn’t matter. I’m going to be back. So we can put the retiring thing or whatever to bed quickly.”"
As much as he may hate being away from his staff and his players, Minnesota’s coach needed to put his health first at this point in his life. It may have taken eight surgeries for him to realize that, but Zimmer knows that this is what is best right now for his team as well.
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But when Zimmer says that he does not care if he loses his eye as long as he gets to continue doing his job, it becomes quite obvious as to why the players on the Vikings’ roster love having a head coach who wears his passion on his sleeve.