All-Pro center Frank Ragnow is unretiring just six months after his original announcement and will return to the Detroit Lions in a move that could shake up the NFC North
22:55 ET, 26 Nov 2025
Frank Ragnow
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Frank Ragnow is back for the Detroit Lions(Image: Getty Images)
The Detroit Lions will welcome back four-time All-Pro center Frank Ragnow to the team after the 29-year-old surprisingly announced his retirement in June.
The Lions are 7-4 but have regressed on offense from their record-setting pace last year (when quarterback Jared Goff was an MVP candidate). He told ESPN reporter Adam Schefter that he "loves the game" as a primary reason for returning to football.
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Ragnow's retirement rocked a Detroit offensive line that was the pinnacle of stability. The former first-round pick was a three-time Second-team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler over the last seven years
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"I've tried to convince myself that I'm feeling good, but I'm not, and it's time to prioritize my health and my family's future," he wrote in a June retirement announcement.
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"I have given this team everything I have, and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don't. I have to listen to my body, and this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life."
Detroit announced the news by tweeting a photo of Ragnow doing his customary run out at Ford Field.
Wednesday was the NFL's official deadline for a player to return from retirement to be eligible to play the rest of the season (before Week 13). The Lions play against their division rival, the Green Bay Packers, on Thanksgiving.
When will Ragnow return? Thursday's contest figures to be too soon, and so might next Thursday's suddenly important contest against the Dallas Cowboys. Week 15 seems more likely for Ragnow, meaning he will get three regular-season games before the playoffs.
Frank Ragnow
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Ragnow's return figures to help David Montgomery and the Detroit running game(Image: Getty Images)
Pro Bowler Graham Glasnow shifted inside to center following the decision. An elite guard, Glasnow has struggled on the inside: his 59.3 PFF grade ranks 29th amongst centers.
With Ragnow back in the fold, Glasnow figures to shift back to one of the guard spots.
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Either Kayode Awosika or second-round rookie Tate Ratledge, both currently starting along the interior, figure to compete for the starting spot.
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Detroit is still stacked at tackle. Right tackle Penai Sewell has blossomed from a top-10 prospect into a First-team All-Pro, while 2016 first-round pick Taylor Decker earned his first Pro Bowl nod a season ago.
The Lions still feature the two-headed monster nicknamed "Sonic and Knuckles" of Jaymyr Gibbs and David Montgomery out of the backfield. Their production figures to spike with Ragnow's return.