The Detroit Lions, after defeating the New York Giants 34-27 in overtime, still sit third in the NFC North with a 7-4 record. But ahead of their Thanksgiving clash against divisional rivals, the Green Bay Packers, the Lions received a major boost to their offensive line as All-Pro center Frank Ragnow announced his return after retiring from the NFL in June 2025. But this return comes with a warning, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

During his appearance on Good Morning Football, Rapoport shared an important development about Frank Ragnow.

“He is now officially back. Was reinstated yesterday off the reserve retired list,” Ian Rapoport said. “Can have a roster exemption for a couple of weeks. Probably will take him by the way, a couple of weeks to play, but he is a Pro Bowler. He retired at just 29. The body kind of broke down. He’s got another month or so in him and certainly will help this Detroit Lions’ offensive line solidify themselves and be better than they were previously. Just a really, really cool story for the Lion. One of their dudes is back.”

As Rapoport mentioned, Ragnow battled through multiple injuries throughout his career before his “body kind of broke down” at 29. Before retiring, Ragnow earned four Pro Bowl selections, three AP Second-Team All-Pro honors, and had four seasons where he started all 16 games. As a center for the Detroit Lions, he has played in 96 games over his career, with his most recent seasons showing high snap percentages and high Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades for run blocking.

The 29-year-old announced his retirement in June 2025 after seven NFL seasons. Ragnow cited health concerns and the need to focus on his family as critical reasons for stepping away from the game, as he had battled through multiple injuries throughout his career. In 2021, following a season in which Ragnow played with a fractured throat, the Lions made him the league’s highest-paid center at the time with a $54 million, four-year extension.

With a superstar on the O-Line returning to the roster, when will Frank Ragnow suit up for the Detroit Lions?

When will Frank Ragnow play for the Detroit Lions?

Despite having a well-rounded roster, the Detroit Lions are sitting in third in the NFC North with a 9-4 record. Hence, Dan Campbell and Co. will look to maximize every possible asset to ensure their team is over the hump. Subsequently, the focus will be on Frank Ragnow and his return to the gridiron after a short retirement.

According to ESPN’s Adam Scheffter, “Frank Ragnow’s first chance to play for the Lions will come next Thursday vs. the Dallas Cowboys, though it is considered unlikely for now, per source. A potential return-to-play date is Dec. 14 at the Los Angeles Rams.

As the Detroit Lions still hold Ragnow’s contractual rights for this year and the next, the star offensive lineman will have his contract reinstated once he rejoins the roster. Now that the league is comfortably in the second half of the season, it will be interesting to see how the Frank Ragnow addition impacts the star-studded Detroit Lions.