LAKE ORION, Mich. — Frank Ragnow’s days of attempting to play in the NFL again are officially over as the former Detroit Lions All-Pro center says he has closed that chapter of his life.
One year after announcing his abrupt retirement on social media, Ragnow broke his silence on the process to reporters Friday afternoon during his fourth-annual Skeet Shoot Showdown to support Michigan families coping with loss.
He attempted to make a comeback in late November but failed a physical after Detroit’s medical team revealed that Ragnow had suffered a Grade 3 hamstring strain.
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“To shoot it to you straight, I was trying to will myself to play, and my body was telling me otherwise. And I was just in like a paralysis if you will,” Ragnow mentioned. “I did not plan on retiring in the middle of the summer, believe it or not. I was trying to get like, ‘You can do it,’ for the guys, the fans … like, it’s who you are.
“But it’s just like I was uncomfortable, and it’s one of those things where you have a couple kids, and I don’t want a sob story,” he added. “I’m going to be completely fine and everything, but it’s one of those there where like, ‘is the juice worth the squeeze’ thing, and to me, ultimately it came down to that decision, and obviously, I struggled with that decision too.”
Initially, Ragnow struggled with the mental aspect of walking away from the game. He felt a lot of guilt and regret but mentioned he is now in a great headspace with the recent fan reception coupled with the help of his family, notably his wife, Lucy, and their two children.
He continued to stay in shape, so when he attempted to end his retirement in November, he was disappointed by the hamstring injury. Ragnow described it as a soft tissue injury that was sore and mentioned he never realized the extent of the damage.
“I got hurt a day or two before I got there, and it’s unfortunate. I should’ve listened to my body probably, but it is what it is,” Ragnow mentioned. “It’s a learning experience, and at least I can say I laid my head on the pillow at night and mentioned I tried. I tried for the team. I tried for the fans. And it just wasn’t meant to be.”
Throughout his seven-year career, Ragnow battled multiple injuries, including a fractured throat in 2021. In 2024, he played 16 games in his final season while pushing through the pain, missing only one game with a partially torn pectoral muscle.
Without Ragnow, the offensive line struggled in 2025 as Detroit missed the postseason after winning back-to-back NFC North division titles. Detroit ranked 20th in run block win rate (70.7%) and 30th in pass block win rate (55.2%) last season.
Ragnow admitted that it was tough to watch the Lions compete without being on the field as the pass protection around veteran quarterback Jared Goff remained inconsistent.
After the season, Lions general manager Brad Holmes mentioned the team hadn’t maintained contact with Ragnow since his failed physical, but he has kept strong ties with his teammates.
Lions linemen Colby Sorsdal, Michael Niese and Mason Miller were among the attendees for Ragnow’s outdoor experience at the Bald Mountain Shooting Range as part of his Rags Remembered Foundation.
Ragnow hasn’t attended a Lions game since retiring but mentioned there is no bad blood with the organization either despite being asked to repay a portion of his 2021 signing bonus, just as the franchise had done with Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson after they retired before their contracts expired.
“I guess that’s a tough question to answer. Obviously, the reports are out there or whatever, and I don’t know why they leaked it, but that’s on them,” Ragnow mentioned of his relationship with the Lions. “I am trying to be a positive, glass half full or whatever you say. … I’m a people person. There’s so many great people in that facility and on that team, and I’ve got nothing but love and respect, and I’m rooting for all of them.”
