The Detroit Lions announced that longtime C Frank Ragnow is unretiring and will be rejoining the team, as confirmed by Ian Rapoport.
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 26, 2025
Rapoport adds it sounds like Ragnow will be able to play sooner rather than later. Adam Schefter adds next Thursday against the Cowboys is possible but the more likely option is December 14 against the Rams, giving Ragnow time to ramp back up.
Earlier this month, Lions HC Dan Campbell said “that ship has sailed” when asked about Ragnow unretiring. Evidently things changed.
Schefter also pointed out today was the deadline for Ragnow to come off the reserve/retired list, otherwise he would have been ineligible.
Ragnow, 29, is a former first-round pick of the Lions back in 2018. He was in the final year of his four-year, $11.7 million contract with the Lions when they picked up his fifth-year option worth $12.657 million guaranteed for the 2022 season.
The Lions then signed Ragnow to a four-year, $52 million extension that made him the NFL’s highest-paid center back in 2021. He was set to make base salaries of $9.15 million and $11.9 million in the final two years of that deal.
In 2024, Ragnow appeared in 16 games and made 16 starts at center for the Lions. Pro Football Focus had him graded as the No. 2 center out of 40 qualifying players.
In his career, Ragnow made 96 starts for the Lions at center and was a three-time All-Pro Second-Team selection.
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