Nearly two years from the night Mike Zimmer scratched his retina during a game against the Chicago Bears, the coach’s vision remains impaired in his right eye and is unlikely to get better.
Zimmer updated reporters Thursday on the status of his eye, which underwent at least eight surgeries from 2016-17.
“It sucks,” Zimmer said curtly. “I have to put a drop in every day and then I have to wait a few hours before I can put a contact in. I don’t see good out of it. It is what it is.”
The 62 year old had a gas bubble protecting his eye up until last summer. There was optimism at the time that once the bubble dissolved Zimmer would have most of his vision restored, but according to Zimmer, the eye is only good for seeing shapes and movement in his periphery.
“Right now I couldn’t tell who he is with this eye,” Zimmer said, pointing to a reporter about three feet away.
The head coach, who missed a 2016 game as he underwent emergency eye surgery, now does most of his work with one eye — unable to read through his damaged retina. “Even with peepers,” Zimmer lamented.
On record last spring as saying he’d coach with “one eye or two,” Zimmer has been vocal about not letting his vision interfere with his day-to-day responsibilities. No surprise from the man who general manager Rick Spielman once referred to as “hard-headed.”
“Just how it is,” said Zimmer. “It won’t get any better.”
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