DETROIT — Four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow has failed his physical and will not play for the Detroit Lions this season, the team announced.
Ragnow was planning to come out of retirement, but after reporting to the facility Friday to meet with the medical team for normal protocols, he failed to meet the requirement.
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Detroit’s medical team revealed that Ragnow had a Grade 3 hamstring strain that would keep him from playing, the team said.
“Frank has always been a team-first guy and is a true warrior,” the team said in a statement. “He will forever be a Lion.”
Ragnow, 29, announced his retirement in June after seven NFL seasons in which he battled through multiple injuries.
The Lions still hold Ragnow’s contractual rights for two seasons — this year and next and head coach Dan Campbell was initially “fired up” about the possibility of him returning, but his future for 2026 has not been discussed.
Ragnow did disclose that he was dealing with a hamstring issue during discussions, but they didn’t know the severity of the injury until the final physical.
“Of course we’re disappointed just because Frank is such a good dude and a great teammate and he’s a productive player, but at the same time he’s injured, too,” Campbell said during a Zoom meeting with reporters on Friday. “So, man you quickly move off of that and know what it is and he’s not playing.”
