Should the NFL be concerned that Pro Bowler Frank Ragnow retired at age 29?

The National Football League is three months away. This week one of the top offseason storylines is the fact that Detroit Lions centre Frank Ragnow of Victoria, Minnesota retired at the age of 29, and that Houston Texans cornerback Ronald Darby of Oxon Hill, Maryland retired at the age of 31.

The relatively young ages here is a significant storyline. One might wonder if the NFL is concerned. The answer is probably not. Everyone in the NFL knows how physical the game can be, and that players retire of all ages and for many different reasons.

Ragnow was a four-time Pro Bowl center, who was the highest paid center in the NFL in 2021. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. In 96 games, Ragnow had three fumble recoveries for -15 yards, and one solo tackle. The fact that Ragnow retired when he is still in his prime and selected to the Pro Bowl, can lead one to make a comparison between Ragnow and Lions running back Barry Sanders, who retired at age 30 in 1998.

Darby, meanwhile, played 10 seasons in the NFL. He was with the Buffalo Bills in 2015 and 2016, the Philadelphia Eagles from 2017 to 2019, the Washington Football Team in 2020, the Denver Broncos in 2021 and 2022, the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. On March 17, Darby signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans worth $2.5 million, but decided not to return to the field in 2025.

In 118 NFL games, Darby had 447 combined tackles (381 solo tackles and 66 defensive tackles), 12 tackles for a loss, one quarterback hit, eight interceptions for 135 yards, 106 pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The fumble recovery came in a 20-9 Washington win over the Cincinnati Bengals on November 22, 2020.

Darby was also part of the Philadelphia Eagles that won the Super Bowl in 2018. He had four solo tackles and two pass deflections as the Eagles beat the New England Patriots 41-33.

In Darby’s last NFL season with the Jaguars, he had 46 combined tackles (36 solo tackles and 10 assisted tackles). Darby also had nine pass deflections and three tackles for a loss.

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