Lions four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow says he's retiring - ESPN

Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow, a four-time Pro Bowl selection in his seven NFL seasons, announced his retirement on social media on Monday.

«These past couple of months have been very trying as I've come to the realization that my football journey is ending and I'm officially retiring from the NFL,» Ragnow posted to Instagram. «I've tried to convince myself that I'm feeling good but I'm not and it's time to prioritize my health and my families future. I have given this team everything I have and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don't.

»I have to listen to my body and this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life. The Lions organization has been absolutely incredible throughout this process and I can't emphasize this enough how grateful I am for this team and all the fans. It was an absolute honor going to battle for you all."

Ragnow battled through multiple injuries throughout his career. In 2021, following a season in which he played with a fractured throat, general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell made him the league's highest paid center at the time with a $54 million, four-year extension.

The 29-year-old Ragnow played 16 games last season, missing only a Week 4 game vs. Seattle with a partially torn pectoral muscle. He didn't miss a start afterward and was named to the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive season.

He entered the NFL as a first-round draft pick by the Lions in 2018, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2020, 2023 and 2024. He received his first Pro Bowl nod in 2020 under then-coach Matt Patricia, and he played 96 career games — all starts.

Rookie Tate Ratledge, a second-round pick out of Georgia, is the most likely replacement for Ragnow. Ratledge, 24,