Lions Great Frank Ragnow Comes out of Retirement Amid Playoff Push

Ragnow won’t be back on the field for Thursday’s game, but he could make a big impact once he does get back in the trenches.

Frank Ragnow (77) of the Detroit Lions looks on after the Detroit Lions Training Camp in Allen Park, Mich., on July 28, 2021. Nic Antaya/Getty Images

Detroit Lions great Frank Ragnow didn’t stay retired for long.

After retiring in June at age 29, the four-time Pro Bowl center is returning to the game for the season’s final push. Lions confirmed the move on social media on Wednesday with a photo of Ragnow running out of the Ford Field Tunnel.

Ragnow took a beating during his seven-year career with the Lions, with multiple injuries—concussion, turf toe, fractured throat, and injuries to the knee, foot, and groin. He started 96 career games, and Ragnow played at least 14 games every season except 2021, when he played only four games due to turf toe injury.

“I have given this team everything I have, and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don’t,” Ragnow wrote in his retirement Instagram post in June.

“I have to listen to my body, and this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life.”

“These past couple of months have been very trying as I’ve come to the realization that my football journey is ending and I’m officially retiring from the NFL,” Ragnow added.

“The Lions organization has been absolutely incredible throughout this process, and I can’t emphasize this enough, how grateful I am for this team and all the fans. It was an absolute honor going to battle for you all.”

Now, he’s in shape and ready to get back on the field, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Ragnow rejoined the Lions at the last minute, too, as Wednesday marked the deadline for a team to move a player off the reserve-retired list and put him on the exempt/commissioner permission list, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

It didn’t look likely as little as a few weeks ago when Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed the apparent finality of Ragnow’s retirement. “The ship has sailed,” Campbell said during a November interview on 97.1 The Ticket.

“Here’s what I know about Frank: If Frank really wanted to (play), he would be blowing my phone up, and I haven’t gotten a text yet,” Campbell said.

That clearly changed, and the Lions can fill a much-needed hole on the offensive line. Graham Glasgow, who took Ragnow’s place, moved from guard to center, and the Lions drafted Georgia guard Tate Ratledge.

Then, the Lions turned to Kayode Awosika, a one-time undrafted free agent, amid injuries on the offensive line. Detroit’s health and continuity on the offensive line have been ongoing problems this season.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff has taken his share of hits this season, with 49 quarterback hits and 23 sacks. Detroit has taken losses to teams with strong pass rushes such as the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, and Green Bay Packers—the team Detroit faces on Thanksgiving Day.

Ragnow won’t be back on the field for Thursday’s game, but he could make a big impact once he does get back in the trenches. Ragnow will give the Lions a leader and steady blocker up front, allowing Glasgow to return to guard.

A three-time second-team All-Pro, Ragnow became one of the best centers of his time before he retired. The Lions compensated with a four-year, $54 million contract extension, which at the time was the largest center deal.

Ragnow could play as early as Week 14 against the Dallas Cowboys or Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams. The Lions have a 7–4 record in a hotly contested NFC North, led by the Chicago Bears (8–3), and that makes each game all the more crucial in the playoff hunt for a Wild Card spot if Chicago holds on to the division lead.

Ragnow’s string of injuries ultimately wasn’t enough to keep him away from a potential playoff and Super Bowl run on the line. He played through four losing seasons with the Lions before the team went 9–8 in 2022 and made significant playoff runs the past two seasons.