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The Detroit Lions offense has taken another significant blow.
Months after losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow announced his abrupt retirement on Monday.
Ragnow, 29, played seven seasons in the NFL, all for the Lions.
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Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) prepares to snap the ball during an NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Sunday, January 21, 2024. (Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Ragnow posted to social media that he has tried to convince himself he’s feeling well enough to play, but he said he’s not.
“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, who was drafted 20th by the Lions in 2018, said in an Instagram post. “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 continued. “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.”
Frank Ragnow #77 of the Detroit Lions looks on from the sideline during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 30, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
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Ragnow battled through multiple injuries throughout his career. In 2021, following a season in which he played with a fractured throat, general manager Brad Holmes and Campbell made him the league’s highest-paid center at the time with a $54 million, four-year extension.
Ragnow earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2020, 2023 and 2024. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2020 under then-coach Matt Patricia, and then made three straight from 2022-24.
Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) warms up before the game between Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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With Ragnow, the Lions earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed with their 15-2 record, but they lost in the divisional round to the Washington Commanders.
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