The Detroit Lions are heading into a pivotal Thanksgiving matchup at Ford Field against the Green Bay Packers, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. With a tight NFC North race and postseason hopes on the line, head coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes are doing everything possible to strengthen the roster for the final push.
Detroit’s 7–4 record is respectable, but not quite where the team hoped to be entering Week 13. The Packers currently occupy the No. 2 spot in the division, adding even more urgency to Thursday’s showdown. Ideally, the Lions take care of business against Green Bay and then become big Philadelphia Eagles fans as Philly faces the Chicago Bears later in the week.
With the pressure mounting, the Lions have opted to bring back a well-loved player who unexpectedly retired before the season began — and fans are thrilled to see him return.
On Wednesday, November 26, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport announced that longtime center Frank Ragnow is rejoining the team. Rapoport reported that Ragnow is in excellent shape and could be available sooner than expected, giving Detroit’s offensive line an immediate upgrade.
The Lions confirmed the news on their official channels, igniting excitement throughout the fanbase. Ragnow’s retirement earlier in the offseason was a major blow to a line already thin at center, so his decision to unretire arrives at the perfect moment.
Reactions from fans online were overwhelmingly positive. One person wrote, “Lions fans just got Christmas before Thanksgiving.” Another noted how transformative the move could be: “Their interior offensive line was so bad. This is huge.”
Ragnow’s presence could be exactly what Detroit needs to steady the offense and stay competitive in a crowded NFC playoff picture.
Lions’ Position Entering Week 13
After narrowly defeating the Giants on November 23, Detroit held its spot at No. 8 in the NFL’s official power rankings. As NFL analyst Eric Edholm noted, the Lions have navigated a grueling schedule and remain legitimate contenders for both the playoffs and a third straight division title—even if lingering issues have made the journey uneasy at times.
Alternative Fix writer Amber Reed summed up the team’s vibe perfectly: the Lions are 7–4 and playing with a mix of resilience, unpredictability, and emotional whiplash. She described their season as one filled with battles, close calls, and relentless effort: “They’ve crawled, leapt, and clawed just to stay in the mix… But through it all: they fight.”
And with Ragnow now back in the fold, that fight may only grow stronger as Detroit heads into the most important stretch of the season.
