Vikings HC Mike Zimmer To Miss TNF
The Vikings announced that head coach Mike Zimmer is undergoing emergency eye surgery and will be forced to miss Thursday night’s game against the Cowboys. General manager Rick Spielman announced that special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will be in the driver’s seat while Zimmer is out. It’s not immediately clear whether Zimmer could miss multiple games.
[RELATED: Adrian Peterson Ahead Of Schedule?]
“We are taking it one day at a time. We want to get through tonight’s game and then tomorrow we will reassess where we’re at,” Spielman said.
This is at least the third eye operation for Zimmer, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. Zimmer previously had eye surgery in early November after tearing his retina during a game, as Dave Campbell of the Associated Press detailed at the time. Zimmer was able to coach the Vikings’ subsequent game, but did note that he had not sought immediate treatment, he may have been at risk for blindness.
The decision to go with Priefer is interesting, considering that the Vikings already have two former head coaches on staff. Offensive line coach Tony Sparano was previously the head coach of both the Dolphins and Raiders, while offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur once led the Browns. Former offensive coordinator Norv Turner also had head coaching experience, but he resigned earlier this month.
PFR extends its best wishes to Coach Zimmer and hopes for a safe, quick, and thorough recovery.
This post was modified from an earlier version published on Wednesday.
Vikings HC Mike Zimmer May Miss TNF
The Vikings announced that head coach Mike Zimmer is undergoing emergency eye surgery and could be forced to miss tomorrow night’s game against the Cowboys. General manager Rick Spielman stated that he has met with the club’s coaches and players, and Minnesota has a “contingency plan in place” in case Zimmer is unable to coach.
[RELATED: Adrian Peterson Ahead Of Schedule?]
This is at least the third eye operation for Zimmer, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. Zimmer previously had eye surgery in early November after tearing his retina during a game, as Dave Campbell of the Associated Press detailed at the time. Zimmer was able to coach the Vikings’ subsequent game, but did note that he had not sought immediate treatment, he may have been at risk for blindness.
As noted, the Vikings have plan in place in the event that Zimmer is sidelined, and the club does have two former head coaches on staff. Offensive line coach Tony Sparano was previously the head coach of both the Dolphins and Raiders, while offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur once led the Browns. Former offensive coordinator Norv Turner also had head coaching experience, but he resigned earlier this month.
PFR extends its best wishes to Coach Zimmer and hopes for a safe, quick, and thorough recovery.
McKinnon: Peterson Ahead Of Schedule
- Adrian Peterson is “way ahead” of schedule, according to fellow Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon, who keeps in touch with Peterson, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Peterson is currently going through the rehab process with an eye on a December return, and a report yesterday indicated that he had engaged in some light running during practice sessions.
Adrian Peterson Doing Light Running
- Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was spotted doing some light running today, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link). It was reported last week that Peterson was likely to run around this time. This could be a good sign for Peterson, who is pushing to return from IR in December.
Latest On Adrian Peterson’s Potential Return
There’s more optimism regarding Adrian Peterson‘s return to the field. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer tweets that the Vikings running back has recently been running in the pool. If the veteran’s knee responds positively, the team will look to run him on hard surfaces this week.
Despite tearing his meniscus earlier this season, recent reports indicated that the 31-year-old was on track to return in December. Peterson suffered the injury during the Vikings Week 2 contest against the Packers. Up to that point in the season, the running back had rushed for only 50 yards on 31 carries. Of course, that’s not to say that the veteran still can’t be productive. Peterson is only one season removed from a 1,485-yard, 11-touchdown campaign.
The Vikings have relied on Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata during Peterson’s absence. The duo have rushed for 603 yards on 196 carries, and they’ve found the end zone six times. The Vikings currently rank second-to-last in the NFL in rushing yards (782), and they’re averaging a league-low 2.8-yards-per-attempt.
The Vikings actually cut running back Ronnie Hillman earlier this week, though they did add Bishop Sankey to their practice squad.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/27/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
New England Patriots
- Cut: DB Shamiel Gary
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OL Sean Hickey (via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press)
Revisiting Vikings' Sam Bradford Acquisition
- The Vikings’ early September decision to send a first- and fourth-rounder to the Eagles for quarterback Sam Bradford is hard to justify after 11 games, writes Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com. In acquiring Bradford to replace the injured Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings overestimated the chances of everything else goes right for their offense from a health standpoint, Barnwell argues. Instead, not only has running back Adrian Peterson missed most of the season, but Minnesota’s O-line has also dealt with several injuries. And while Bradford hasn’t played poorly, he also hasn’t made much of a difference during the Vikings’ 6-5 start. Looking ahead to the offseason, it’s possible the Vikings could flip Bradford – who’s under contract for one more year – and either give the reins back to a healthy Bridgewater or acquire someone else (Tony Romo, for instance), Barnwell notes.
Vikings Sign Bishop Sankey To Practice Squad
Bishop Sankey has been wandering the NFL all season long but he’s hoping to take his coat off and stay a while with his new team. The Vikings announced that they have signed the young running back to the practice squad. 
Sankey, a 2014 second-round pick, was released by the Titans’ new regime this fall. At one time, Sankey was being groomed for the primary running back role in Tennessee. This offseason, he didn’t demonstrate enough progress to keep his place on a team carrying four running backs.
After his release, Sankey spent time on the Patriots’ practice squad and the Chiefs’ 53-man roster. Earlier this week, KC released Sankey in an apparent endorsement of Knile Davis‘ as the last back behind Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West.
Currently, the Vikings have Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, and fullback Zach Line on the 53-man roster. It stands to reason that they could add another tailback to the mix. Sankey now stands as the only RB on the p-squad and has a prime opportunity for a promotion.
Adrian Peterson On Track For Dec. Return
For most players, a significant tear to the meniscus is a season-ender. But, as we all know, Adrian Peterson isn’t like most players. The Vikings believe that the running back can return to action next month, people with knowledge of the situation tell Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. 
Over the next week or two, Peterson will ramp up his workload and that will give the Vikings a better handle on his timetable for return. If all goes well, we could see the veteran make a surprisingly quick comeback after suffering a “bucket handle tear” of the meniscus in September.
Peterson’s attempted return from surgery is admirable, but one has to wonder what Peterson can bring to the table this year. Before the injury, Peterson was uncharacteristically unproductive, totaling just 50 yards off of 31 carries. Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata have done better than that, of course, but they’re also not setting the world on fire. The Vikings added Ronnie Hillman after AD went to IR, but he didn’t do much in limited action and was sent packing earlier this week.
Of course, if Peterson can run like he did at the close of the 2015 season, he’ll provide a huge boost for the 6-4 Vikings. The Vikings face the Lions this afternoon and the winner will be in the driver’s seat of the NFC North.
Stefon Diggs Likely Out Thursday
The Vikings are unlikely to have their top wide receiver, Stefon Diggs, for their Thanksgiving showdown with the NFC North rival Lions, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Diggs, who’s dealing with a knee injury and hasn’t practiced this week, easily paces the Vikings in receptions (67), targets (87) and yards (747). Minnesota defeated the Texans in its only game without Diggs this season, but the Vikings have lost four of five since and now have the same record (6-4) as first-place Detroit.