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National Football League roundup

[December 06, 2016] Dec 5 (The Sports Xchange) - Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has returned to his coaching duties after emergency eye surgery and is expected to travel with the team to Jacksonville for Sunday's game against the Jaguars, the team announced Monday.

Zimmer missed last Thursday night's home game against the Dallas Cowboys, one day after he had emergency surgery on his right eye to repair a detached retina. According to ESPN, Zimmer had another operation on Friday after a follow-up appointment -- his fourth operation in 32 days, including three in November.

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Percy Harvin's return to football lasted all of two games. Harvin, who came out of retirement and signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 1, was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list Monday, ending his season.

The former Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl wide receiver returned against his former team, the Seattle Seahawks, in the Bills' Monday night game on Nov. 7 but didn't make any catches. On Nov. 20 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Harvin was targeted four times with two catches for six yards. He also rushed once for 11 yards.

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Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera remains "very comfortable" a day after his surprise decision to bench quarterback Cam Newton for a dress code violation that continues to cause an uproar around the league.

Newton was held out of the opening series of Sunday night's 40-7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks because the star quarterback failed to wear a collared shirt and necktie on the team flight to Seattle.

"I knew it was going to be a feeding frenzy," Rivera said. "That's the way it is. As far as I'm concerned, I've addressed it, he's addressed it and I'm treating everybody the same and I will continue to do that. So I'm done with it."

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Odell Beckham Jr. wasn't very happy with the officiating crew assigned to the Giants-Steelers game, going so far as to suggest that the crew, led by referee Terry McAulay, not be assigned to call any more New York games in the future.

Beckham's ire was primarily directed at one official, whom he wouldn't name, who told him to "get out of my face" after Beckham tried to get an explanation for his offensive pass interference penalty in the first quarter of the Giants' loss.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones suffered a turf toe injury in Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Coach Dan Quinn said the All-Pro receiver was injured in the final moments of Sunday's 29-28 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that dropped the Falcons to 7-5.

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Larry Roberts, who played eight seasons and won two Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, died at age 53 on Monday morning.

Roberts passed away in his sleep at his home in Atlanta. His death was confirmed by his brother, Travis, on Facebook.

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The Washington Redskins waived cornerback Dashaun Phillips.

Phillips, 25, was promoted to the active roster last Friday after being waived by the Redskins on Nov. 12 and re-signed to the practice squad three days later. (Editing by Frank Pingue)

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