DETROIT — 4-time Professional-Bowl heart Frank Ragnow is popping out of retirement and returning to the Lions, a supply informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
He has determined to unretire and return to the Lions as a result of he “loves the sport,” one supply informed Schefter.
Wednesday was the deadline for Ragnow to come back out of retirement and be eligible to play this season, sources added. If a participant is on a membership’s reserve-retired record, he should be reinstated previous to that crew’s Week 13 sport. Detroit hosts NFC North division rival Inexperienced Bay on Thursday in its annual Thanksgiving Day look.
Ragnow’s first probability to play for the Lions will come subsequent Thursday towards the Dallas Cowboys, although a return that rapidly is taken into account unlikely for now, a supply mentioned. That makes Detroit’s following sport on Dec. 14 towards the Rams in Los Angeles a probable return date.
The Lions nonetheless maintain Frank Ragnow’s contractual rights for 2 seasons — this 12 months and subsequent. When Ragnow returns to Detroit this week, his contract will likely be reinstated.
Ragnow introduced his retirement in June after seven NFL seasons.
Ragnow, 29, battled by a number of accidents all through his profession.
In 2021, following a season by which he performed with a fractured throat, basic supervisor Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell made him the league’s highest-paid heart on the time with a $54 million, four-year extension.
In 2024, he performed 16 video games final season, lacking solely the crew’s 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. With out Ragnow, veteran lineman Graham Glasgow crammed the middle position because the Lions are off to a 7-4 begin this season.