Frank Ragnow: A Season of Uncertainty

Former Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow had quite the unexpected 2025 NFL season, despite not playing any games. He announced his retirement suddenly over the summer, catching fans off guard. Then in November, he surprisingly tried to make a comeback, attempting to re-sign with the Lions; however, his plans were thwarted when he failed a physical exam due to a Grade 3 hamstring strain.

Interestingly, Ragnow, who is now 30, had previously stated that he wasn’t planning to retire at all last summer. His abrupt decision raised eyebrows.

Reflecting on his situation, Ragnow mentioned, “I was trying to play on my own, wanting to shoot straight, but my body was telling me not to, and I was kind of paralyzed.” He expressed that retirement wasn’t something he had anticipated making during the summer. “I wanted to say to the players and the fans, ‘You can do this’…I was like, that’s you,” he recalled.

It seems there was a mix of emotions. Ragnow wasn’t really interested in sharing a sob story, discussing his family in connection with his struggles. “I’m totally fine and everything is in order. But sometimes you’re like, ‘Is it worth the juice?’ For me, it came down to that decision,” he reflected, while also admitting he wrestled with that choice.

Ragnow attempted to return to the field in November, trying to stay in shape. He was aware his hamstring was hurting, though he perhaps didn’t grasp the extent of the injury. “I got injured a day or two before I got there, which was disappointing. Maybe I should have listened to my body, but that’s the way it is,” he admitted. Ultimately, he took solace in the fact that he tried his best for his teammates and fans, even though it just wasn’t meant to happen.

Over his seven-year career with the Lions, Ragnow was selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft and was signed to a significant four-year, $54 million contract in 2021, which made him the highest-paid center at that time. He earned Pro Bowl selections in consecutive seasons, proving himself one of the top centers despite facing various injuries throughout his career, including a partially torn pectoral in his last season, during which he played 16 games.