Odds Frank Ragnow Retires

Could Frank Ragnow have played his last down of football?

Throughout the 2023 season, the Detroit Lions increasingly became known for their “grit,” a trait that helped the team win the NFC North and advance to the NFC Championship Game this past season. And, there was even a social media hashtag that the franchise and its fans used to signify it: #AllGrit. 

Perhaps no Lions player has embodied it more for a sustained period of time than center Frank Ragnow. The Pro Bowl lineman has played through injury after injury since being drafted by the organization in the first round of the 2018 draft (No. 20 overall).

Most notably, he's battled a lingering turf toe injury since the 2021 campaign, an ailment that limited him to just four games that season. Yet, he's managed to suit up for nearly a full season's worth of games the past two seasons (16 in 2022 and 15 in ‘23), while racking up Pro Bowl honors in both campaigns and a second-team All-Pro selection this past year.

And most recently, he played in all 72 of the offensive snaps in Detroit's NFC Championship Game loss to the 49ers, a week after spraining his knee and ankle in the Lions’ divisional round playoff win over the Buccaneers.

Ragnow is the absolute definition of a “gamer.” And, you'd be hard-pressed to find a current NFL player tougher than him.

He's also endeared himself to a countless number of Lions fans via his toughness and grit.

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Unfortunately, though, he may have played his last down as a pro football player.

Since the end of the season, there has been a growing amount of speculation that Ragnow will call it quits. 

The narrative has only been fueled by recent comments made by both the veteran interior lineman and Detroit general manager Brad Holmes.

Ragnow, for one, didn't specifically bring up that he's pondering retirement, but did reference the physical and mental toll the game of football has taken on him. 

“It takes a toll on you," Ragnow said while cleaning out his locker in Allen Park. "It really takes a toll on you, so I need to find a way to get back to Frank and I don’t regret any of this at all. But, it weighs on you, and I’m just going to take some time and really figure everything out to make sure that I’m feeling good, not only for me the football player but for me to be the best husband and best father and everything with that, as well.”

Meanwhile, Holmes, in his season-ending media session, piggybacked off those comments from his Pro Bowl center, and indicated that he wouldn't rush him into making any kind of decision about his playing future.

“I have so much respect for him (Ragnow) and for everything that he goes through and fights through that I’m just respectful of his time and his thoughts," Holmes told reporters Monday. "We’re not going to pressure him to do anything or make any moves, but the communication will be diligent. It’ll be thorough, it’ll be respectful.”

Even with those comments from both Ragnow and Holmes, I'm not currently buying into the speculation that Ragnow – the anchor of Detroit's offensive line – is hanging up the cleats just yet.

At this present juncture, I'll place the odds of the 300-plus-pound lineman retiring at just 30 percent.