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NFL great Frank Ragnow's quest to return to the field has been dealt a blow after he failed his physical with the Detroit Lions.
The 29-year-old sensationally announced that he intended to unretire and return to football earlier this week, just five months after he suddenly chose to walk away from the game in June.
According to multiple reports, the offensive lineman had intended to come out of retirement to suit up for the Lions once again.
But that dream was dashed just two days later when Detroit announced on Saturday that Ragnow had failed his physical examination with the team and would therefore not be offered a spot on the roster.
'The medical exam revealed a Grade 3 hamstring strain that will keep him from participating for the remainder of the regular season. For that reason, Frank will not be rejoining the Lions,' the team said in a statement.
'Frank has always been a team-first guy and is a true warrior. He will forever be a Lion.'
NFL great Frank Ragnow's quest to return to the field has been dealt a blow
The 29-year-old, pictured with his wife Lucy, suddenly announced his retirement in June
A Grade 3 hamstring strain is the highest and most severe level of strain where the muscles are completely torn.
Back in June, Ragnow revealed in an Instagram post that he would be retiring from the game.
He had been in the midst of a contract dispute with the Lions after the team lost their NFC Divisional round game against the Washington Commanders.
'These past couple of months have been very trying as I've come to the realization that my football journey is ending and I'm officially retiring from the NFL,' Ragnow said in the post.
'I've tried to convince myself that I'm feeling good but I'm not and it's time to prioritize my health and my families future.
'I have given this team everything I have and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don't. I have to listen to my body and this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life.
'The Lions organization has been absolutely incredibly throughout this process and I can't emphasize this enough how grateful I am for this team and all the fans. It was an absolute honor going to battle for you all.'
The offensive lineman looked to come out of retirement and return to the Detroit Lions
The franchise announced that Ragnow had failed his physical due to a hamstring strain
A native of Minnesota, Ragnow was a four-star prospect out of high school and chose to attend the University of Arkansas over offers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, and Florida State.
Ragnow was a two-time first-team All-American and two-time first-team All-SEC in college before heading off to the 2018 NFL Draft.
Detroit selected Ragnow 20th overall in the 2018 draft and he developed into one of the best offensive linemen in the league.
Across his career, he was named to the All-Pro second-team three times and earned Pro-Bowl honors four times.
