The Detroit Lions were hit with a shocking retirement announcement on Monday morning, as four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow called it a career after seven seasons, all spent with the Lions.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was first to the news, but Ragnow confirmed the news by releasing a statement on Instagram. The 29-year-old stated that he is retiring to focus on his health and family.
"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," Ragnow explained. "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. 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's retirement is incredibly stunning, as he was still playing at a high level and has been one of the better centers in football over the last few years. However, he did deal with some injuries throughout his career, including an inoperable' toe injury since 2022.
Nevertheless, Ragnow will be missed in Detroit, and some of his current and former teammates expressed their love and gratitude for the star center in the comments of his retirement post on Instagram.
"Love you buddy, thanks for being a great teammate," Lions running back David Montgomery wrote.
"Freaky Frank 😔," Lions Pro Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs wrote.
"Much deserved ❤️," Lions All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown wrote.
"You're going to be so lean in like 5 months," Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker wrote.
"Love you bro!" Lions running back Craig Reynolds wrote.
"Love you buddy 😢," Lions tight end Shane Zylstra wrote.
"Congrats my guy on amazing career ✊🏽," Former Lions and current Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Slay wrote.
"💙✊🏿," Former Lions running back Jamaal Williams wrote.
"❤️love you bro," Former Lions and current Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift wrote.
"🐐🐐. Frank Ever 4L," Former Lions and current Carolina Panthers tight end James Mitchell wrote.
There are too many heartwarming and wholesome reactions to Ragnow's retirement, so we can't post all of them in this article. However, it's clear that the Arkansas product was loved by everyone he played with, and he will be missed in the Motor City.
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