The Detroit Lions have once again followed an old pattern, with the team reportedly recovering part of the signing bonus of offensive lineman Frank Ragnow after his early retirement. This is something that the team has done on several occasions in the past, including with Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson after they also unexpectedly retired.

Frank Ragnow, who is a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, unexpectedly retired in June 2025. He had initially considered returning to play again at some point later on, but after undergoing a physical, it was discovered that he had suffered a severe hamstring injury. This decision to recover part of Ragnow’s signing bonus has once again brought into question the long-standing policy of the team. One former linebacker of the team, currently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, even went on to call out the team on social media.

“Played through fractured throat, one week post meniscus clean up w/ stitches barely out, inoperable/unrepairable toe, etc.“Hey, let me get that prorated signing bonus back (laughing emojis).” Do business as business is being done,” Alex Anzalone wrote on X.

As mentioned earlier, the Lions have continued with this policy for a long time and haven’t spared franchise legends, Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson. The Hall of Fame running back, Sanders, had to pay back more than $7 million of his signing bonus after retiring before the 1999 training camp, according to the Free Press. Similarly, Megatron was required to return $1.6M of his signing bonus after retiring due to injury in 2016.

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Now, a decade later, it’s Frank Ragnow’s turn to pay back his $1.5 million signing bonus after announcing his retirement in June 2025. He briefly attempted a comeback last season, but after his physical revealed a Grade 3 hamstring strain, there was no return for the star center.

Ragnow signed a four-year, $54 million extension in the spring of 2021, making him the highest-paid center in the NFL. However, unlike his yearly salary, signing bonuses are prorated over the life of a contract for salary cap purposes. Ragnow had to return the remaining $1.5 million of his $6 million signing bonus.

But for Alex Anzalone, his animosity towards the Lions stems from why Frank Ragnow had to hang up his boots. Throughout his illustrious career, Ragnow suffered a plethora of injuries, including a fractured throat in 2020 and an inoperable toe ailment. He also partially tore his pectoral muscle early in the 2024 season. Hence, Anzalone was expecting better treatment for a franchise legend, who was a four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro.

However, the new Buccaneers linebacker wasn’t alone in calling out the Lions, with former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce also calling out the Detroit front office’s decision surrounding Frank Ragnow.

“This is interesting,” Kelce wrote on X. “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 ensures a salary regardless of performance metrics, or most importantly, injuries that could compromise your career in the future.”

While the Detroit Lions continue to face backlash for their actions, the franchise president is the least bothered by the criticism he and the organization are facing.

Lions president defends franchise’s Frank Ragnow decision

Although current and former NFL players have raised concerns about the Detroit Lions’ policy of demanding repayment of signing bonuses after early retirement, President Rod Wood defended his decision. Speaking at the league’s annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, Wood expressed, “I’m never surprised by anything,” when asked about the backlash for his decision.

He then explained the franchise’s rationale behind this policy, as reported by the Detroit News.

“I really don’t spend too much time looking at what other teams do, and I don’t imagine they spend too much time looking at what we do,” Wood said. “We have to do what’s right for our organization, and if I worried about optics, I wouldn’t do a lot of things. But I’m very comfortable with where we are, and every situation’s been handled separately and differently, and I don’t have anything else to say.”

The way the Detroit Lions have handled the case of Frank Ragnow’s signing bonus has been criticized by many players, both past and present. However, the team’s President, Rod Wood, is unapologetic and stands firmly by the team’s long-held tradition. The backlash against the team is only getting worse, and they are unlikely to change their ways anytime soon.