Mike Zimmer Says He Plans to Keep Coaching Despite Eye Problems

Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer confirmed Friday he has no plans to retire regardless of what happens to his right eye, which recently required an eighth surgery.

The 60-year-old coach explained he's expecting to rejoin the Vikings in the near future, even if the eye doesn't respond to the latest treatment.

"I'll be back shortly," Zimmer told reporters, per Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press. "One eye or two, it doesn't matter. I'll be back. We can put that retiring thing to bed quickly."

He added: "I don't want to go blind in this eye. If that's what it is, that's what it is. This will not keep me from coaching."

Last week, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reported the latest surgery featured doctors removing an "oil bubble" from the damaged eye to replace it with a "gas bubble." It's part of an ongoing effort to stabilize his eyesight after suffering a detached retina last year.

Zimmer is planning his return to the Vikings for June 4, per Matthew Coller of 1500 ESPN.

The Illinois native took over as Minnesota's head coach in 2014. He's accumulated a 26-22 record over the past three seasons, including an 8-8 mark during the 2016 campaign. The team has qualified for the postseason once during his tenure (2015), but lost to the Seattle Seahawks in its first playoff game.

He previously served as a defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals. He was also part of the Cowboys' coaching staff when the team defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX at the end of the 1995-96 NFL season.

Mike Priefer, the Vikings' special teams coordinator, served as interim head coach in Week 13 last year while Zimmer was away due to the eye problems.