The Detroit Lions learned shortly after their NFC Championship Game loss that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson would return in 2024. However, the future of All-Pro center Frank Ragnow was unknown at that time.Ragnow, May 28, dominated last season, earning his third career Pro Bowl selection and second All-Pro honor. While Detroit has struggled with injuries this season, it was not entirely certain that the leader of the offensive line would return in 2024.Related: Ben Johnson’s potential successor revealed by Detroit LionsOn the official injury report ahead of the NFC Championship , Detroit listed an evaluation for Ragnow. bag, knee, ankle and toe injuries. He managed to survive the pain, but the severity of the problems was much worse than publicly reported.After dealing with a toe injury “without surgery” last season, Ragnow experienced severe pain and discomfort this fall and throughout the season. His injuries are expected to have long-term effects beyond football, which is one of the reasons the organization will be patient in letting him decide his future.Speaking at the NFL Honors Award show on Thursday, Frank Ragnow told reporters that he will not retire and play for the Lions in 2024.Ragnow’s return is as important to Detroit’s offense as Johnson’s commitment to another offensive season. . He was arguably the best center in the NFL last season, and maintaining that consistency with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL will be critical to Detroit’s success.As with Johnson, Detroit still needs to start preparing for a future without Ragnow. With injuries already weighing on him and retirement being considered at least briefly this offseason, it’s reasonable to think he’ll be out of football by 2026..