What Detroit Lions player is retiring?
By Shawn Stewart
Detroit Lions Center Frank Ragnow is retiring after seven seasons in the NFL. Ragnow, 29, announced his decision in an Instagram post Monday, and he cited his future health as the primary reason.
Since he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2018, Ragnow has started 96 regular-season games and four playoff games for the Lions. He developed a reputation as one of the best centers in the game, but he’s decided it’s time to hang up his cleats.
In his Instagram post, Ragnow said it has been a “very trying” few months for him as he tried to sort out his NFL future. Ultimately, Ragnow came to the conclusion that his body doesn’t feel good enough to continue playing.
“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 families 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 one of the hardest decisions of my life.”
Ragnow was the No. 20 overall selection by the Lions in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he made an immediate impact. He started all 16 games as a rookie, and that was the start of a tremendous career in Detroit.
In his seven years with the Lions, Ragnow earned second-team All-Pro honors three times and was named to the Pro Bowl on four different occasions. Ragnow was also part of a core group that helped the Lions go from one of the worst teams in the league to Super Bowl contenders over the last two years.