The Detroit Lions forced retired Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow to pay back some of his signing bonus, and Philadelphia Eagles great Jason Kelce is not happy about it.
The Lions have done this before with some of the best players in their franchise history, Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson, and it has created a rift in their relationship with the two Pro Football Hall of Famers. Kelce said he thinks it’s "bulls---" that the Lions are asking Ragnow to return money.
"While I get that the team has a right to ask for money back, in the spirit of the agreement, I think it’s bulls--- Frank is being asked to return money," Kelce posted to X.
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"This was clearly a player that the game had physically taken its toll on, and his body was clearly no longer holding up to the rigors of the NFL. It wasn’t just some player deciding he didn’t want to play anymore, it wasn’t that simple, and these signing bonuses are there to protect players from the inevitable injuries they incur on the field."
Ragnow signed a four-year, $54 million contract extension in May 2021 that made him the highest-paid center in the NFL, with a $6 million signing bonus. The signing bonus from that contract counted $1.5 million each season against the salary cap from 2023–26.
Lions president Rod Wood confirmed that the team asked for a "portion" of Ragnow’s signing bonus.
"Our precedent goes all the way back to Barry Sanders," Wood told the Detroit Free Press. "And if Barry Sanders paid back money.… And I think the reality is, they’re not paying back their money, they’re returning our money. Cause they were paid in advance for services that they hadn’t completed."
Kelce said he understands the team wanting its money back if the player retired without reason and if that player did not fulfill the requirement of the contract. In Ragnow’s case, Kelce thought the four-time Pro Bowl center retired due to health issues after leaving it all on the field.
"However, Frank was known for being hurt and playing through injuries most players wouldn’t play through constantly. Broken foot, a torn pec, multiple knee injuries, back issues. There was always something, and I’m sure he was continuously dealing with multiple ailments to try and continue playing the game. His body clearly had deteriorated to a degree that made football no longer a viable option, physically, and probably mentally," Kelce wrote.
"In my opinion, the signing bonus is supposed to protect players from future physical ailments limiting their availability on the field, that’s one of the reasons you want more guaranteed money upfront."
Ragnow retired before last season. He attempted a comeback during November, but he failed a physical because of a torn hamstring. However, despite Ragnow retiring because of injury, Wood views the signing bonus as the team’s money.
"It’s the Lions’ money, it’s not the player’s money," Wood said.
Kelce said the purpose of the signing bonus is to be a guarantee up front.
"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," Kelce wrote.
Including playoffs, Ragnow played in 100 games for the Lions, and made the Pro Bowl four of the last five years of his career.
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