Detroit Lions All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, 29, announced earlier today that he is retiring from the National Football League. In a social media post, Ragnow said, “It’s time to prioritize my health.”
“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,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “I’ve tried to convince myself that I’m feeling good, but I’m not, and it’s time to prioritize my health and my family’s future. I have given this team everything I have, and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don’t. I have to listen to my body, and this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life. 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.”
Lions All Pro center Frank Ragnow announced on IG that he is retiring from the NFL. pic.twitter.com/AH9Ht7Cx6X
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2025
A seven-year pro, Ragnow spent his entire career with the Detroit Lions. He was named a three-time All-Pro and also earned Pro Bowl honors in four of the last five seasons. As a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro last year, he helped the Detroit Lions finish the regular season with the league’s number-one scoring offense.
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Frank Ragnow’s legacy
Outside of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey, I believe that Frank Ragnow was the best center in the NFL. This was proven by the fact that he was named to three straight Pro Bowls.
All things considered, though, I don’t think Ragnow’s career will merit a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Had he had a longer run of success, I think he certainly could have had a shot to make it to Canton. Unfortunately, four Pro Bowl trips and three All-Pro selections are not enough to warrant enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. If he had played for three more years at this current level, it would be a different conversation. I view Frank Ragnow as a prime candidate for the Hall of Very Good, rather than the Hall of Fame.
Frank Ragnow
#1 run blocking C in 2024
#1 run blocking C in 2023
#5 run blocking C in 2022#2 graded overall C in 2024
#1 graded overall C in 2023
#5 graded overall C in 2022helped anchor the Lions turnaround
sad to hear injuries forced his retirement
you would have never… pic.twitter.com/npILHrcLpL
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) June 2, 2025
With that being said, I can almost guarantee that Ragnow will be inducted into the Pride of the Lions, the team-specific Hall of Fame for past Detroit Lions greats. I do think he will have to be patient, though, because the Lions still haven’t honored former great centers like Kevin Glover (13 seasons with Detroit) or Dominic Raiola (14 seasons with Detroit). Then again, I could be misreading the situation entirely. Maybe the Lions will induct Ragnow first before honoring Raiola or Glover.
Only time will tell if he earns a spot in the Pride of the Lions, but I can say with confidence that Frank Ragnow will be remembered as one of the best offensive linemen in Detroit Lions history.
Poor timing for the Lions
Frank Ragnow is an all-time great member of the Detroit Lions organization, and the time he spent with the franchise will be remembered by fans fondly. However, the timing of this decision puts the Lions in a really compromising situation.
It sounds like Ragnow needed to actually get on the field and participate in Organized Team Activities (OTAs) in order to realize his body can’t keep up with the daily demands of the National Football League. While that is completely reasonable, he is doing a little bit of a disservice to the Lions by making this decision now instead of earlier in the off-season.
Coming into this off-season, the Lions already had to deal with some questions regarding their offensive line after the departure of Kevin Zeitler in free agency. It appeared that they had found a solution through the NFL Draft by taking Georgia’s Tate Ratledge (one of the best guard prospects in this class) and LSU’s Miles Frazier. Though it would’ve made sense to have those two guys battle it out for the starting job in minicamp and training camp, the Lions will now be forced to scramble and try those guys out at center, too.
Frank Ragnow was @PFF‘s top-graded center across the board this week. Check out the 🎞️ #DetroitPeopleMovers pic.twitter.com/XaSML13Ii8
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 23, 2024
If Detroit had known they were going to lose their starting center and right guard, they probably would have approached free agency and the NFL Draft differently. I still believe the Lions had a good draft class, but they didn’t add any pure centers this off-season, which means that somebody is going to have to make a position change, whether it be a veteran or a rookie.
Things were already more difficult for the Lions this off-season compared to last off-season. They lost their starting right guard as well as their offensive and defensive coordinators. Now, with the departure of Frank Ragnow, the adjustment period for Detroit’s offense will be that much more difficult. The Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, so I am confident that they will find somebody to step in and effectively snap the ball to Jared Goff every play. But there’s no denying that Ragnow’s retirement puts the Lions in a tough spot heading into a season where they undoubtedly have Super Bowl aspirations.
