Lions' Campbell thanks Ragnow, calls it the right decision, explains team has option, chides talk of contract concerns

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Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell delivered the team's first public comments on Thursday regarding the abrupt retirement of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow earlier this week, praising the player and his decision.

"Frank's been an unbelievable teammate, football player, man in the community," Campbell said. "Man, he's done it all. He will be sorely missed. One of the greatest memories I have of Frank is the divisional (round playoff game) against Tampa Bay. Fourth-and-1, we run downhill to Craig Reynolds, man, and he's got big boy (Vita Vea), and he hits him, and he kind of hits a knee, and then he has to get back up, tie up the block, and we score, man. It was huge. That's the type of player he was. So, he'll be missed.

"…I got all the respect for Frank Ragnow and, man, I love him to death."

Campbell acknowledged the team had known for some time that Ragnow was contemplating stepping away, and he was in regular communication with the team.

"We did our best to give him his space and let him sort it out," Campbell said. "It was kind of one of those, 'Hey man, you're going to come to a decision at some point here, we'd certainly like it before the offseason's out,' and he did, and it was time.

"Whenever you know it's your time, it is the right time," Campbell continued. "Because it's not fair to him, and it's not fair to his teammates or anybody else. So I respect the hell out of him for the decision. It's not easy to do. But he knows himself. And I will always respect that."

Campbell said the only surprising part of the decision was that Ragnow was coming off a dominant season, was healthier than he had been in years, and was still in his prime. But, as a former player, Campbell knows it's the physical and mental grind of preparing for Sundays that drives these decisions.

"You've also got to remember the amount of time and work and detail spent on taking care of his body," Campbell said. "The training, the rehab that goes into it. Before he even trains, you're talking about hours and hours and hours. I need to work on this an hour before. I've got to train for two hours. Then, I've got to make sure I get the game plan in, right? That's another hour. Then we've got to get ready for practice. So it's just the physical and mental side of it, man. You've got to be of a certain mind frame. And if you feel like you're not there, the time is right to walk away. "

Campbell did make it a point to criticize insinuations that Ragnow's decision had anything to do with his contract status.

"Quite frankly, some of this stuff about contract talk, that's disrespectful," Campbell said. "That's not what this was ever about."

Campbell said if the issue had been contract-related, he's confident that communication would have been open and clear between the two sides, and something would have been worked out.

"I also know Frank and this was not about that," Campbell said. "This was not about that."

Spinning things forward, Campbell acknowledged that the "train rolls on" without Ragnow. He expressed confidence in the collective talent still on the roster, as well as offensive line coach Hank Fraley's ability to prepare the group.

"We need development quickly," Campbell said. "Look, that's why Hank Fraley is the coach in that room. He's done a hell of a job developing talent, and he's going to get these guys right, whoever it is, between (Miles) Frazier and (Tate) Ratledge, and like I said, all these guys, some of these young guys we've got. And, there again, having Graham (Glasgow) helps now. It's huge because he's got the flexibility to play both guard and center."

Asked how important it was to have experience at center once the season starts, Campbell downplayed it at that spot, specifically, but said it's critical somewhere along the interior.

"I mean, experience is big," Campbell said. "It is. But I think it's (either) there or the guy that's next to you. That can help out a lot, too. You're going to need some experience somewhere in there. As long as you have that, you're OK.

"I've mentioned this before, Erik McCoy, now he played center in college at Texas A&M when I was in New Orleans," Campbell continued. "Max Unger had just retired, and we were fortunate we had drafted him. He was plug and play. We put him in and he grew quickly, quickly, quickly. I mean by Game 3, Game 4, he was cooking. Doesn't mean you won't have growing pains, but it can happen fast. The development can happen fast. I'm saying, for example, you put Tate in there — and if not, is it Graham by him at guard who is helping him out? Or is Graham your center? Or is it one of these other guys?"

Beyond Ratledge and Glasgow, who are the presumptive front-runners to replace Ragnow, Campbell highlighted Kinglsey Eguakun as an option. An undrafted rookie last year, he spent 2024 on the team's practice squad.

" It's the next man up," Campbell said. "We will be ready to go when camp hits. We will be ready to go. We got plenty of versatility up there."