By Rowan Fisher-ShottonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe Detroit Lions’ unexpected attempt to add one of the NFL’s best interior linemen from the last decade has already unraveled.
Frank Ragnow, the four-time Pro Bowl center who announced his retirement in June and then moved to rejoin Detroit on Wednesday, reported to the team on Friday for paperwork and medical clearance — and failed his physical.
The Lions said the exam revealed a Grade 3 hamstring strain, a severe injury that would have sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season.
So, just three days after pledging to return to Detroit, it looks like Ragnow will not be rejoining the active roster.
"Frank has always been a team-first guy and is a true warrior. He will forever be a Lion," the franchise said in a statement.
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Ragnow was the Lions’ first-round pick in 2018 (20th overall out of Arkansas) and quickly became the anchor of Detroit’s interior line.
In seven NFL seasons, he started 96 games, earned four Pro Bowl nods and three second-team All-Pro honors.
His elite resume made his June retirement a surprise to many, and his decision to unretire just before the playoff push feel like an important, timely reinforcement.
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Detroit’s offensive line has battled injuries this year, and the team clearly viewed Ragnow as someone who could stabilize protection and the run game for the final stretch.
A Grade 3 hamstring injury usually indicates a near-complete or complete tear and often requires months of recovery, sometimes including surgical repair and a multi-month rehabilitation window.
That timeline rules out any realistic chance of Ragnow contributing this season; even a conservative estimate puts return-to-play measured in multiple months rather than weeks.
With the Lions sitting at 7-5 and third in the NFC North after the Thanksgiving loss to Green Bay, their remaining regular-season slate will be crucial to keep playoff hopes alive.
Looking ahead, they will host the Cowboys (December 4) and the Steelers (December 21), and travel on the road to face the Rams (December 14), the Vikings (December 25), and the Bears (Week 18, flex).
With division rivals Chicago (9-3) and Minnesota (4-7) ahead, Detroit’s margin for error is thin.
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