Ragnow’s Lions Return Attempt Ended by Hamstring Injury Diagnosed at Physical

Frank Ragnow said his attempt to return to the Detroit Lions ended when the team’s medical staff diagnosed a Grade 3 hamstring strain during a late-November 2025 physical. The former All-Pro center spoke to reporters Friday at his fourth-annual Skeet Shoot Showdown in Lake Orion, Michigan. One year earlier, Ragnow had announced his retirement on social media.

"To shoot it to you straight, I was trying to will myself to play, and my body was telling me otherwise. And I was just in like a paralysis if you will," Ragnow said. He added that he sustained the soft-tissue hamstring injury one or two days before reporting to the team.

Ragnow said he had continued training after his initial retirement and was in shape when he tried to come back. "I got hurt a day or two before I got there, and it’s unfortunate. I should’ve listened to my body probably, but it is what it is," he said.

Ragnow said he had not planned to retire in the middle of the summer and had tried to push through for teammates and fans. He described weighing whether "the juice worth the squeeze" before deciding to step away. "it came down to that decision, and obviously, I struggled with that decision too," Ragnow said.

Ragnow said he initially felt guilt and regret after retiring but is now in a good mental state, helped by support from fans and his family. He is married to Lucy and they have two children.