Why did Frank Ragnow retire? Longtime Lions center suddenly calls it quits at 29 years old

The Lions are getting a late-offseason subtraction from their offensive line.

Center Frank Ragnow informed the team of his decision to retire on Monday, per Ian Rapoport. Ragnow was a three-time Second Team All-Pro selection after being drafted in 2018.

The timing of his decision was intriguing, as it leaves the Lions without their starting center just a few months before the start of the 2025 NFL season.

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Here’s what to know about Ragnow calling it a career.

MORE: Saquon Barkley selected as cover athlete for Madden 26

Why did Frank Ragnow retire?

Rapoport reported Monday that Ragnow informed the Lions of his plans to retire. The longtime center also took to social media as the news came out, writing that the “past couple of months have been very trying” as he realized his football career was coming to an end.

Based on Ragnow’s explanation, his decision came down to his current health after 96 career games.

“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,” Ragnow wrote. “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 the hardest decision of my life. The Lions organization has been absolutely incredible throughout this process and I can’t emphasize enough how grateful I am for this team and all the fans. It was an absolute honor going to battle for you all.”

Ragnow dealt with various injuries throughout his NFL career, including a fractured throat, various knee and foot injuries, and most recently, a partially torn pec during the 2024 season. Through them all, the Arkansas product continued to play at a high level, racking up four Pro Bowl selections in his career.

Prior to Ragnow making his retirement official, he was absent from Friday’s OTA session, per Colton Pouncy. Now, he’ll leave a void at center for Detroit as it progresses through the offseason.

How old is Frank Ragnow?

Ragnow is 29 years old. With his NFL career complete, he will have played in 96 games across seven NFL seasons, all of which were starts.

Frank Ragnow contract

Initially, Ragnow’s absence from OTAs was believed to be due to his contract situation. Ragnow had two years remaining on his deal with Detroit, but his salary for 2025 and 2026 was not guaranteed, creating the assumption that he was seeking more guaranteed money.

Before he retired, Ragnow was the fourth-highest paid center in the NFL. In 2021, he signed a four-year, $54 million extension with the Lions that made him the highest-paid center in the league at the time. That included $42 million guaranteed, per Spotrac, and was set to make him a free agent after the 2026 NFL season.

Ragnow was set to have a cap hit of $14,050,000 in 2025 and $15,950,000 in 2026, per Spotrac. At $13.5 million in AAV, Ragnow’s contract trailed only Creed Humphrey, Cam Jurgens and Drew Dalman at the center position across the league, per Over the Cap.

Lions OL depth chart

Ragnow’s retirement leaves the Lions’ offensive line a bit thinner. For now, the assumption is that Tate Ratledge, who was just drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft by the team in April, will step into the starting center role. According to Pouncy, Ratledge was taking reps at center at Friday’s OTA session, although he played guard in college.

Another player with experience playing center is Graham Glasgow, who has played the position for Detroit previously.

Here’s a full breakdown of the Lions’ offensive line following Ragnow’s retirement.

Frank Ragnow injury history

Here’s a look at some of the injuries Ragnow dealt with during his NFL career.

November 2019: Concussion

In his second NFL season, a concussion kept Ragnow out for one game.

December 2020: Fractured throat

Ragnow dealt with a fairly unique injury during the 2020 season, suffered a fractured throat in a game, but he stayed in for the remainder of it. He wound up missing just two games with the injury before returning.

Ragnow said later on that he thought the injury was caused by pads hitting his neck, but he could barely talk for two weeks.

October 2021: Turf toe

In October 2021, Ragnow suffered a turf toe injury that caused him to miss the rest of the season, a total of 13 games. He had surgery to repair a torn plantar plate.

The injury continued to nag at Ragnow in later seasons, although he didn’t miss more time from it.

2022-23: Knee, ankle

Ragnow dealt with other recurring injuries, most of them smaller, throughout 2022 and 2023.

A groin injury kept him out of one game in 2022, then a calf ailment caused him to miss a game in 2023. Ragnow also had surgery on his meniscus in 2023, causing him to miss a game. In the divisional round of the playoffs following the 2023 season, Ragnow was dealing with a sprained ankle and knee, but he did not miss any snaps.

2024: Partially torn pec

Last season, Ragnow missed Week 4 with a partially torn pectoral. Even with a recovery timeline that lasts much longer on most occassions, he returned to action the following week.