Detroit Lions middle Frank Ragnow, a four-time Professional Bowl choice, introduced his retirement on social media on Monday.
“These previous couple of months have been very making an attempt as I’ve come to the belief that my soccer journey is ending and I am formally retiring from the NFL,” Ragnow posted to Instagram. “I’ve tried to persuade myself that I am feeling good however I am not and it is time to prioritize my well being and my households future. I’ve given this workforce every thing I’ve and I assumed I had extra to present, however the actuality is I merely do not.
“I’ve to take heed to my physique and this has been one of many hardest selections of my life. The Lions group has been completely unimaginable all through this course of and I am unable to emphasize this sufficient how grateful I’m for this workforce and all of the followers. It was an absolute honor going to battle for you all.”
Ragnow performed 16 video games final season, lacking solely a Week 4 sport vs. Seattle with {a partially} torn pectoral muscle. He did not miss a begin afterward and was named to the Professional Bowl for the third consecutive season.
The 29-year-old Ragnow, who entered the NFL as a first-round draft choose by the Lions in 2018, earned second-team All-Professional honors in 2020, 2023 and 2024. He performed 96 profession video games — all begins.
Ragnow has had a historical past with severe toe accidents, lacking 13 video games in 2021 with what he referred to as “probably the most extreme diploma of turf toe” after which had a separate harm to the identical toe early within the 2022 season and performed via it in what he referred to as one of many hardest years of his profession.
In 2023, he advised the Detroit Free Press that the toe harm had gotten to some extent the place surgical procedure would not assist and it was simply one thing he was going to should navigate for the remainder of his profession.