Detroit Lions’ Frank Ragnow Retires After 7 Seasons and Four Pro Bowl Selections

Frank Ragnow Announces Retirement After Seven Seasons with the Lions

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow, one of the NFL’s top offensive linemen and a cornerstone of the team’s recent resurgence, announced his retirement from professional football on Monday. The 29-year-old Pro Bowler ends his career after seven grueling but decorated seasons in the Motor City.

Ragnow shared the emotional news via social media, revealing that lingering health issues have made it impossible for him to continue playing at the level he demands of himself.

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

The Arkansas product was selected 20th overall by Detroit in the 2018 NFL Draft and quickly emerged as one of the league’s most reliable and physically dominant centers. His gritty leadership and consistency became a defining trait of the Lions’ offensive line, especially during the team’s dramatic turnaround under head coach Dan Campbell.

Despite dealing with significant injuries—including a fractured throat in 2020 and chronic foot and toe issues—Ragnow rarely missed a game when healthy. His perseverance earned widespread respect, both within the Lions organization and around the NFL. In 2021, the team rewarded him with a four-year, $54 million extension, making him the league’s highest-paid center at the time.

Over the course of his career, Ragnow earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2022 to 2024, as well as a second-team All-Pro nod in each of those seasons and in 2020. He was a vital anchor on an offensive line that helped propel Detroit back into playoff contention for the first time in decades.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell have repeatedly praised Ragnow’s toughness, professionalism, and team-first mentality—qualities that came to define the modern Lions identity.

“The Lions organization has been absolutely incredible throughout this process,” Ragnow wrote in his farewell. “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.”

Ragnow’s retirement marks the end of an era for Detroit, but his legacy as one of the franchise’s most respected leaders and elite performers will endure. As the Lions continue to build toward Super Bowl contention, they’ll do so with the foundation Ragnow helped lay—brick by brick, snap by snap.

He leaves the game not only as a four-time Pro Bowler but as a player universally admired for his heart, resilience, and unwavering commitment to his team.

Reporting by The Associated Press. Contributions from local Detroit sports coverage and Lions team sources.