By Moses Joshua 
Brad Holmes all but closes the door on a comeback as the Lions brace for life after their All-Pro anchor
When Frank Ragnow stepped away from football last summer, the Detroit Lions hoped it might not be the final chapter. Even when injuries forced the four-time Pro Bowler back into retirement after a short-lived return attempt, there was still a quiet belief that the door hadn’t completely closed.
This week, that belief faded.
During his end-of-season press conference, general manager Brad Holmes delivered the most direct update yet on Ragnow’s future — and it sounded very much like goodbye.
“We Just Kind of Went Our Separate Ways”
Asked if the team had stayed in touch with Ragnow about a possible return for the 2026 season, Holmes didn’t mince words.
“No. After that whole thing, we just kind of went our separate ways,” Holmes said. “I’m sure a lot of the guys still keep in contact with him. But no, nothing concrete about seeing if he wants to give it a go again.”
Ragnow initially retired last June, citing the physical toll of playing through years of injuries. He briefly came out of retirement before Thanksgiving, only to walk away again after medical testing revealed a Grade 3 hamstring injury.
What once felt like unfinished business now feels settled.
How the Lions Were Left Scrambling
The timing of Ragnow’s original decision couldn’t have been worse. The 2025 NFL Draft had already passed when he finally confirmed he was done.
“It was after the (2025 NFL) draft… that was when he officially told us that, ‘I’m not going to do it,’” Holmes explained. “I can’t remember, it may have been some point in late May or something like that.”
Detroit had seen the “breadcrumbs,” as Holmes put it, but without certainty, they couldn’t fully pivot. With few options left in free agency, the Lions improvised.
They cross-trained rookie Tate Ratledge at center, then — about a week into training camp — named veteran Graham Glasgow the starter. Glasgow later admitted the move caught him off guard after spending the offseason preparing to play right guard.
You Don’t Replace a Player Like Frank Ragnow
Holmes didn’t pretend Detroit could simply plug the hole left behind.
“Well, look, a player of Frank’s caliber — you haven’t seen a Frank Ragnow since Frank Ragnow. So, never would have thought that you could immediately just replace him and just hit the ground running.”
The offensive line regressed in 2025, and Holmes acknowledged the growing urgency to rebuild the unit with younger talent. The front office had tried to add linemen through the draft and free agency, but not every plan came together.
“It hadn’t been ignored; we tried to do the best we could… I was excited about the youth injection that we did go with. I think it was necessary. But I believe I mentioned… there’s going to have to be some patience.”
A Warning Sign With Taylor Decker
Ragnow may not be the only veteran lineman nearing the end. Left tackle Taylor Decker is weighing retirement after 10 seasons, citing health and family reasons.
Holmes sees Ragnow’s situation as a reminder that no matter how strong a line looks on paper, it can change in an instant.
“You just can’t reach and just make a move just to make a move,” he said. “But that’s definitely — I’m not sure what Decker’s going to decide to do — but that’s… going to have to be urgent this offseason.”
Detroit has invested in developmental prospects like Giovanni Manu, but Holmes stressed that relying on hope alone would be “irresponsible.”
The Bottom Line
Frank Ragnow’s era in Detroit is effectively over. There’s no secret dialogue, no quiet plan for another comeback — just respect, distance, and acceptance.
For the Lions, the focus now shifts from what was lost to what must be rebuilt. The center position, once a pillar of the offense, is now one of the team’s most pressing questions heading into 2026.
And as Holmes made clear, patience will be required — but so will urgency.