Jason Kelce: It's Bull***t Frank Ragnow Has to Give Money Back

Former NFL center is not happy Frank Ragnow did not get to keep all of his signing bonus.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) talks to center Frank Ragnow (77) before a snap against San Francisco 49ers | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions do not seem to mind how the optics look when the decision was again made to ask a popular player to return a portion of their signing bonus.

Former NFL center Jason Kelce took to social media to express how poor of a decision the Lions made, given that Ragnow was essentially forced to retire due to injury.

"Frank was known for being hurt and playing through injuries most players wouldn’t play through constantly," Kelce shared on social media. "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."

Signing bonuses are intended to provide players a certain level of comfort, given contracts are not fully guaranteed in the National Football League.

"His body clearly had deteriorated to a degree that made football no longer a viable option, physically, and probably mentally," said Kelce. "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."

The former first-round draft pick endeared himself to teammates and did everything possible to play every week, including spending several hours on the training table throughout the week of preparation.

"So, while I get that the team has a right to ask for money back, in the spirit of the agreement, I think it’s bull***t Frank is being asked to return money," Kelse noted. "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."

Team president Rod Wood does not concern himself with what other team's are doing and feels the decision was the right one for the organization, despite the loud public outcry.

The organization previously faced backlash for asking wide receiver Calvin Johnson to also return a portion of his signing bonus.

It took several years for Johnson to forgive the team. Over the last couple of years, the Lions had steadily gained more and more trust from fans, as the organization was seemingly headed in the right direction.

Over the past two weeks, some of the support has dwindled, given how the team has treated Ragnow and left tackle Taylor Decker.