Lions get blowback after reports of team recovering portion of Frank Ragnow bonus

As was done with Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson following their sudden retirements in 1999 and 2016, respectively, the Detroit Lions reportedly have recouped a portion of the signing bonus attached to Frank Ragnow's contract. Ragnow, a four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time recipient of All-Pro honors, retired in June 2025. He briefly attempted a comeback last season, but a physical performed by Detroit's medical team revealed a Grade 3 hamstring strain, nullifying his potential return.

Jason Kelce, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles and one of the best centers in NFL history, reacted on Tuesday to the Lions taking back some of the money paid to Ragnow, which was first reported by the Detroit Free Press. Signing bonuses are paid to players up front but the cap hit is prorated over the length of the contract. For example, if a player inks a five-year deal that includes a $10 million signing bonus, he receives the $10 million but that money is reflected as a $2 million hit against the cap in each of the five seasons.

"This is interesting," Kelce wrote on social media . "It feels like it’s obvious that Frank retired because he was physically fighting through injuries and pain, and it got to a point that he no longer could play the game in an enjoyable, effective, or healthy way. The whole purpose of a signing bonus is to be a guarantee up front that insures a salary irregardless of performance metrics, or most importantly injuries that could compromise your career in the future.

"What makes this interesting is that Frank likely retired 'voluntarily,' meaning, he wasn’t declared medically unfit to play by a doctor, which allows the team to ask for a prorated amount of his signing bonus back. Had he been medically deemed unfit to play football by a doctor before he retired, the team wouldn’t be able to recoup part of the signing bonus. " This is interesting.