Lions All-Pro Center Frank Ragnow Retires from NFL at 29 to Prioritize Health, Family

Detroit Lions star center Frank Ragnow announced in an Instagram post on Monday that he is retiring from the NFL.

"These past couple of months have been very trying as I've come to the realization that my football journey is ending and I'm officially retiring from the NFL," he wrote. "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. 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. The Lions organization has been absolutely incredible throughout this process and I can't emphasize this enough how grateful I am for this team and all the fans. It was an absolute honor going to battle for you all."

Ragnow spent all seven seasons of his professional career with the Lions after being a first-round pick at the 2018 NFL draft. He was a four-time Pro Bowler in that time and one of the league's better centers.

But injuries simply caught up to him. He tore the plantar plate in his left foot in 2021, appearing in only four games, and dealt with toe, knee and ankle injuries in 2023 that left him contemplating retirement.

He stuck it out for two more seasons, but eventually the wear and tear of an NFL career took its toll.

It's a huge loss for the Lions, who now have to replace one of the top centers in the sport. Rookie second-rounder Tate Ratledge, a guard during his college career at Georgia, has been taking first-team snaps at center this spring.

Guard Kevin Zeitler also departed the team in free agency, though the team re-signed swing tackle Dan Skipper and drafted Ratledge and Miles Frazier to bolster its offensive line depth this offseason.