Happy early Thanksgiving, Detroit Lions fans! After retiring in the offseason, former Lions center Frank Ragnow has decided to unretire and rejoin the team that drafted him in the first round in 2018.
It's a whirlwind of a story considering Ragnow had decided to step away from the NFL after seven years in the league but it's been confirmed that he's for sure back and ready to roll in the Motor City. This is huge for the Lions given how bad their offensive line has been without Ragnow.
Just how soon can Lions fans expect to see Ragnow back on the o-line snapping the ball though? Adam Schefter gave us a timeline for the fan favorite's return and while it's not as early as initial reports might have hinted at, it's still a scheduled regular-season return.
Schefter posted on X that Ragnow's first chance to suit up for his old and now current team would be next week against Dallas but that's "considered unlikely for now, per source". Schefter then stated that the potential return to the lineup for Ragnow would be the following week when the Lions take on the Rams.
Frank Ragnow’s first chance to play for the Lions will come next Thursday vs. the Cowboys, though it is considered unlikely for now, per source. A potential return-to-play date is Dec. 14 at the LA Rams. https://t.co/7cVid62XwA
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 26, 2025
Adam Schefter says Frank Ragnow will likely rejoin Lions in Week 15 vs. Rams
Obviously it'd have been awesome to have Ragnow back snapping the ball in a huge divisional matchup against the Packers on Thanksgiving but we all probably knew that wasn't happening. It'd be such a short turnaround and probably not safe for Ragnow to step back into action that quickly.
The following week against the Cowboys is the first realistic chance for Ragnow to return to the starting lineup but Schefter seemed to hint that wouldn't be happening. The Rams matchup in two weeks is a big one though so having Ragnow back then is better than not having him back at all.
The best news here is that Ragnow will get a few weeks of regular season action under his belt and hopefully his presence will transform the offensive line just in time for a Super Bowl push.