There wasn’t quite the same level of aplomb and ceremony the New England Patriots and their ceremony. But on the same day David Andrews retired from the NFL, another team was losing the centerpiece of its offensive line.
That would be Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow, who announced his retirement in an Instagram post Monday.
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A four-time Pro Bowler, Ragnow was a dominant force for the Lions and a key part of their offensive line. He was also relatively young to be calling it a career.
But at age 29, Ragnow revealed that he was walking away from the game to focus on his health after dealing with major injuries throughout his career.
“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 wrote on 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.”
Andrews was in a similar spot with the New England Patriots. The two-time Super Bowl champ went through plenty of hardship during his NFL career, including the loss of a whole season following a blood clot diagnosis.
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Andrews missed most of the 2024 season after sustaining a major shoulder injury. In a bit of a surprise, the Patriots released him earlier this offseason. But instead of landing with a different team, Andrews wound up calling it a career, having spent his entire career in New England.
Andrews was a steady presence along the Patriots offensive line, stepping in as an undrafted free agent to become the team’s starting center as a rookie in 2015.
Ragnow, a first-round pick in 2018, also became a starter early in his career. He eventually evolved into one of the league’s top centers, earning Pro Bowl nods in four of the past five seasons.
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