Detroit Lions flop in Minnesota: Dave Birkett, Jeff Seidel analysis
Dave Birkett, Jeff Seidel talk Detroit Lions flop at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025.
Frank Ragnow attempted one short-lived comeback this fall. It doesn’t appear he’ll try again in 2026.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff indicated Ragnow, the four-time Pro Bowl center who retired abruptly in June, is done playing football for good.
Asked during his weekly radio appearance Tuesday, Dec. 30, on WXYT-FM (97.1), if he planned to talk to Ragnow this offseason about rejoining the Lions next year, Goff said, “No, I don’t think that’s in the cards at all.”
Asked if that meant he wouldn’t be talking to Ragnow or if Ragnow wouldn’t be playing, Goff said, “Of course I’ll talk to Frank. I just don’t think his interest level is there.”
Ragnow, 29, retired in June after seven injury-riddled NFL seasons and the Lions’ offensive line has struggled in his absence this year. Goff has been sacked a career-high 36 times and the Lions are averaging their fewest rushing yards per game (119.9) since 2021.
Ragnow, who has one year left on his contract, briefly came out of retirement in November but did not play in a game after he failed a physical because of a torn hamstring he suffered while training.
The Lions (8-8) placed Ragnow back on the reserve/retired list Dec. 1, two days after announcing his comeback was over.
The Lions have started three different centers this season and could prioritize fixing the position this offseason.
Regular starter Graham Glasgow, 33, has missed the past two games with a knee injury and is not expected back at his 2026 salary of $6.5 million, and Trystan Colon and Kingsley Eguakun have made fill-in starts in his place with varying degrees of success.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said this week the team will consider moving rookie right guard Tate Ratledge to center in 2026. The Lions used Ratledge at center in the offseason and for the first three days of training camp before deciding to use the more experienced Glasgow, their left guard last year, at the position.
“I know that we felt like [Ratledge] could be a center, and that’s still, that’s not off the table,” Campbell said. “We watched him at guard. He played right guard in college. He’s a good athlete, he’s a big man, he can move. So, we’ll find out. I mean, we’ll find out.”
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
