hearings will be taking place, school officials had no further comment.The lawsuit names the university, as well as six de

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the first time in his 23-year NFL coaching career, Mike Zimmer wasnt at the stadium with his team.When the Minnesota Vikings hosted Dallas on Thursday night, Zimmer was at home resting after emergency surgery to repair a detached retina while special teams coordinator Mike Priefer took over as the interim head coach.Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur (Cleveland, 2011-12) and offensive line coach Tony Sparano (Miami, 2008-11) each have prior experience as an NFL head coach, but they remained in their roles to minimize the disruption. Zimmer is the play-caller for the defense, considered one of the savviest in the league, and that duty fell to defensive coordinator George Edwards.Zimmer visited the team hotel to speak to the players before the game, an emotional address during which he expressed his disappointment in not being able to join them, a message they already knew.It was a little bit hard for me, because hes such a competitor, said Priefer, his voice cracking slightly. Thats why I love working for him.The Vikings played a video clip of Zimmer encouraging the team during training camp with a get-well-soon message on the scoreboard prior to kickoff. General manager Rick Spielman declined to speculate on whether Zimmer would have to miss multiple games during the recovery, but with the Dec. 11 game at Jacksonville the coach is unlikely to be cleared in time for air travel with his condition.We have to see how his eye responds to the surgery, Spielman said. I do know how intense coach Zimmer is. Talking with him today and with the doctors, as much as he wants to be out there coaching tonight, its in his best interest that we get this taken care of. Coach Zimmer has never missed a game. I know how hard this is on him. I cant express how hard on him it is that he wont be able to coach. But we have to look after his health.Left untreated, retina damage can lead to permanent vision loss . The retina is a thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye. When its detached, the cells are separated from the layer of blood vessels that provide oxygen and nourishment. This was the third procedure the 60-year-old Zimmer has had over the past month.As hard-headed as he is and as tough-minded as he is, we had some pretty significant talks one-on-one, heart-to-heart, on what is important in life and what isnt, Spielman said. I think after we met, I expressed to him specifically that potentially going blind in one eye is not worth one game in the NFL.Zimmer, who got his start in the NFL as an assistant with the Cowboys in 1994 and spent 13 years with the organization, has yet to face Dallas in the regular season as a head coach . The Vikings and Cowboys played last year in the preseason.Zimmer first experienced trouble with his right eye a couple of days before the Oct. 31 game at Chicago and scratched the eye inadvertently during that game. That prompted team doctors to send him for further examination, which revealed a torn retina. He had surgery Nov. 1 and another one Nov. 8, which left his eye noticeably red. It had cleared up significantly in recent weeks, though, and Spielman said Zimmer wasnt expected to need further treatment.But the coach suddenly complained of vision problems during a walk-through practice with the team Wednesday afternoon, and head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman drove Zimmer to seek medical attention. Spielman said the latest diagnosis was a detached retina.After first revealing the issue at his Nov. 2 news conference, Zimmer said hed been watching film with his good eye and using reading glasses to write down notes in preparation for that weeks game. With the Vikings mired in a slump with five losses in the last six games, the hard-nosed Zimmer sure hasnt appeared to back off his approach in the desire to help the team get back on track and catch up in the NFC playoff chase. Zimmer mentioned recently hes been arriving at his office even earlier than usual, around 4:15 a.m.Spielman dismissed the theory that Zimmers setback this week was related to pushing too hard after the first two procedures.Whether the situation was the sudden death of his wife, Vikki, when he was the defensive coordinator for Cincinnati in 2009, the kidney stones he had removed in 2014 or the death of his father, Bill, during the 2015 preseason, Zimmer had never missed a game until now.Its not worth the risk, Spielman said. And were looking out for the long-term of his health.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLCustom Toronto Blue Jays Nike Jerseys . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Custom Minnesota Twins Nike Jerseys . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.com/ . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. Custom Atlanta Braves Nike Jerseys . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Custom Cleveland Indians Nike Jerseys . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session.A University of Virginia spokesman confirmed there is an active police investigation into the hazing and harassment allegations made by former football player Aidan Howard in his recently filed federal civil rights lawsuit. The probe is in addition to an internal Title IX investigation at the school.The University of Virginia places a high priority on the safety and well-being of every member of its community. Specifically, as it relates to Mr. Howards legal filing, UVA is conducting a thorough investigation that involves several steps in the fact-finding process, university deputy spokesman Matt Charles wrote in an email.?The lawsuit states that, on Aug. 12, Howard was forced to fight another first-year football player after a team practice as part of an initiation into the football program. Howard suffered a broken eye socket as a result of the fight, which he claims he was made to participate in in order to prove his toughness and manliness. Howard did not want to fight but felt he had no choice, for fear of continued bullying and harassment, according to the lawsuit.Howard alleged that a general culture of bullying, abuse, harassment, and discrimination exists at UVa. The receiver claimed he witnessed other football players coerce first-year teammates into conduct which imitated and mimicked sexual acts, and that players were made to participate in fights and wrestling matches while naked or partially naked, an act referred to at UVA as ramming.Charles, the university spokesman, went on to say, upon receiving a report from the UVA Athletics Department on August 16 concerning the hazing allegations, the University reported the matter to the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County Commonwealths Attorneys in accordance with Virginia state law. The University Police Department, the Office of the Dean of Students and UVAs Title IX office began concurrent investigations consistent with university policies and procedures.Mr. Howard and his counsel participated in interviews with the University Police Department in August and also have been interviewed by members of the Universitys Dean of Students and Title IX offices, Charles wrote. Other staff and students have been interviewed in connection with this matter, as well. This investigative review is on-going.According to the schools policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence (which was implemented in July 2015), the university urges anyone who becomes aware of an incident of Prohibited Conduct to report the incident immediately to either the Title IX Coordinator, or via a Just Reeport It hotline.dddddddddddd. Howard says he was treated by a team trainer -- and visited by a coach -- following the incident, but its not clear why four days passed before the athletic department reported it to school officials on Aug. 16.Howards attorney Jim Zeszutek, confirmed the police investigation and told Outside the Lines that UVa police came to Howards home state of Pennsylvania to interview him on Aug. 29. He also said that UVAPD asked Howard to submit a statement, and that was provided to police on Sept. 23.Its not clear if any specific person is the target of the UVAPD investigation or what charges are being considered.Charles also said, Alleged violations of University policy are investigated to determine appropriate disciplinary and remedial measures, including legal recourse. UVA takes prompt action to provide support services to affected students, review conduct and impose discipline for violations of UVA policy and athletic codes of conduct.The Universitys responses to this particular case are consistent with its approach to ensuring the well-being of our students that include a hazing hotline and its long-standing Just Report It online resource.UVa began its Title IX investigation on Aug. 16. The Department of Education recommends that internal Title IX investigations take no longer than 60 calendar days, but does not require it. When UVa provided this updated statement to Outside the Lines, the investigation had been ongoing for 66 days. When asked why the investigation was still ongoing, and when campus disciplinary hearings will be taking place, school officials had no further comment.The lawsuit names the university, as well as six defendants, including school president Teresa A. Sullivan, athletic director Craig Littlepage, wide receivers coach Marques Hagans, graduate assistant Famika Anae and wide receivers Doni Dowling and David Eldridge. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall is not named.Despite the ongoing Title IX and police investigations -- active since August -- Virginia offensive coordinator Robert Anae, Famikas father, said Saturday that the lawsuit came out of nowhere.It kind of blindsided all of us, Robert Anae, who is not named in the lawsuit, said after the Cavaliers loss to North Carolina. We did look at that as a distraction. We had to handle it as such and well continue to handle that as a distraction.Paula Lavigne can be reached at Paula.Lavigne@espn.com. Nicole Noren can be reached at Nicole.K.Noren@espn.com. ' ' '