Frank Ragnow was a central piece of Detroit’s offensive line before his retirement. Nic Antaya / Getty Images
The Detroit Lions announced Saturday that center Frank Ragnow failed his physical and won’t be returning, just days after it was announced that he would come out of retirement to rejoin the team.
“Unfortunately, during a routine meeting with our medical team, Frank failed his physical,” the Lions wrote in a statement posted on X. “The medical exam revealed a grade 3 hamstring strain that will keep him from participating for the remainder of the regular season.”
On Wednesday, the Lions formally announced the return of Ragnow, who retired in June. The 29-year-old had to be reinstated from the reserve-retired list prior to Thursday’s game against the Packers to be eligible to play this season.
Detroit was hoping that Ragnow’s return could help stabilize a struggling offensive line, which was one of the best in the NFL last season. From 2022 to 2024, the Lions’ offense was second in EPA/play with Ragnow, and 16th without him. They were also third in sack rate when Ragnow played, and 25th when he didn’t.
“Frank has always been a team-first guy and is a true warrior,” the Lions statement read. “He will forever be a Lion.”
The Lions have lost three of their last five games and are the eighth-best team in the NFC at 7-5, currently outside the NFC playoff picture.
Bad news for Detroit
This is absolutely brutal news for the Lions. Ragnow’s decision to come out of retirement had a chance to turn around Detroit’s offensive struggles without him. His ability to hold up in pass protection could’ve given Jared Goff more time to survey the field. His run blocking could’ve opened up more interior rush lanes for Detroit’s backs. He impacts all elements of this offense, and even if he were 85 percent of the player he was pre-retirement, it’s better than what the Lions had. But Ragnow’s failed physical slammed that door shut.
Campbell said Ragnow disclosed to the team that he was dealing with a hamstring issue before announcing his return, but the physical revealed a Grade 3 strain — shocking in some ways, but par for the course with Ragnow — and Ragnow’s season is now over before it started. Campbell said he hadn’t talked ot Ragnow about the possibility of returning in 2026, with one year left on his contract. But at a minimum, he will not be the savior of this team in 2025.
Ragnow felt like a glimmer of hope for the Lions after their playoff hopes took a nosedive this week. The Lions lost to the Packers — all but ending their NFC North hopes. The Bears went into Philadelphia and imposed their will on an Eagles team that tamed the Lions weeks earlier. The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator gives them a 32 percent chance to make the playoffs at the moment. The Lions now realistically have to win four of their final five games to give themselves the best shot. Any less than that and they’ll need help. That path is harder without Ragnow. — Colton Pouncy, Lions beat writer
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