Lions’ Frank Ragnow Sends Clear Message on Potential Retirement

Fans of the Detroit Lions can stop worrying. Lions center Frank Ragnow is not going to retire.

Ragnow made that clear while talking to The Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett on the red carpet at the NFL Honors on February 8.

“I’m not retiring,” Ragnow said at the reward show in Las Vegas.

“I just need a few weeks to get healthy,” the Lions center added. “I guess my typical offseason routine is kind of get right back into it, but I think as I’m getting older I need to understand that sometimes maybe less is more. And I just need some time to make sure I’m healthy and then we’ll get rolling again.”

Ragnow dealt with multiple injuries during the 2023 regular season and playoffs. Some fans debated whether he could consider retirement after his comments following the NFC championship game loss.

“I’m just going to take some time and really figure everything out to make sure that I’m feeling good,” Ragnow told reporters. “Not only for me the football player but for me to be the best husband and best father and everything with that as well.”

Ragnow has spent his entire six-year career in Detroit. He’s made back-to-back Pro Bowls and second-team All-Pro in 2023.

He will turn 28 in May.

Lions ‘Not Going to Pressure’ Center Frank Ragnow This Offseason

Ragnow never specifically addressed not playing or used any form of the word “retire” when talking to the media at the end of the season. But some considered the possibility implied.

That was especially the case after Lions general manager Brad Holmes discussed Ragnow in his post-season press conference.

“We’re not going to pressure him to do anything or make any moves,” Holmes said. “But the communication will be diligent. It’ll be thorough. It’ll be respectful.”

On February 8, Ragnow didn’t specifically say that he didn’t consider retirement. But after talking to Birkett at the NFL Honors, it’s pretty apparent Ragnow just needs some time away from football.

No one can blame him after the physical and mental strain that was his 2023 season.

Injuries Ragnow Played Through in 2023

Ragnow entered the 2023 season already less than 100%. He’s pretty much been at less than ideal health since 2021 because of a toe injury.

His toe issue is considered inoperable, and MLive.com’s Benjamin Raven described it as needing “constant maintenance throughout the season.”

Then Ragnow suffered two different injuries in December and during the playoffs in January. By the NFC championship, he was listed on the injury report with knee/back/toe/ankle ailments.

Ragnow actually sustained two separate knee injuries during the season. The first one game in December against the New Orleans Saints. Ragnow needed surgery but returned after only sitting out one game.

He then sprained a knee and ankle in the NFC divisional matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ragnow, though, didn’t miss a snap in that game or in the NFC championship game.

Ragnow also didn’t just play through his injuries. He was elite.

According to the Pro Football Focus player grades, Ragnow was the best center in the NFL who played more than 10 snaps in 2023.

Replacing Ragnow would be extremely difficult. But the Lions won’t have to be concerned about that. The veteran center plans to play in 2024.