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Frank Ragnow announced on Friday that he does not want to retire, but his body left him no other option.
After retiring last June, he tried to return on November 29 but failed a physical due to a torn hamstring.
The 30‑year‑old made his first public comments since stepping away after seven seasons.
“To be completely honest, I was trying to will myself to play,” Ragnow told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But my body was telling me otherwise, and I felt almost paralyzed. I hadn’t planned on retiring mid‑summer, believe it or not. I kept telling myself, ‘Do it for the guys, do it for the fans; it’s who you are.’ Yet I was uncomfortable, and with a family, I didn’t want a sob story. I’m okay, I’ll be fine, but it came down to whether the juice was worth the squeeze.”
The four‑time Pro Bowler felt guilty about leaving his teammates, calling his attempt to return last season a “horrid” decision.
He has now definitively closed the door on any future playing career.
“Yeah, I’d say so,” Ragnow confirmed.
