Allen Park, Mich.— The Detroit Lions announced today C Frank Ragnow as its nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award Presented by Nationwide. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide is the league’s most prestigious honor and acknowledges NFL players who excel on the field and demonstrate a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game in their communities.
“I am incredibly grateful to be recognized for one of the most prestigious honors in our League, especially while being on a team filled with so many guys who impact the community in different ways and have supported the Rags Remembered Foundation. My family and I take a lot of pride in this Foundation, and to be able to help grieving families through the outdoors is something that we are very passionate about. This is a huge step in being able to help a lot more kids and families in the future.”
LIONS HEAD COACH DAN CAMPBELL
“Frank Ragnow is the ultimate teammate who lays everything on the line to help the person next to him. He deserves every aspect of this award for the work he has done with his Rags Remembered Foundation and the young lives he has touched. Frank’s nomination as our team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year is a special honor for a special person, and with the impactful platform that our players have, there is no greater honor.”
In addition to competing as one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL, Ragnow is known for his avid love of fishing and the outdoors that he cultivated with his father, Jon ‘Rags’ Ragnow. Following Jon’s unexpected passing in 2016 while Ragnow was a student-athlete at Arkansas, he used the outdoors as an outlet for his grief. Embarking on a mission to help children experiencing loss through their own healing processes, Ragnow founded his own nonprofit in 2022 – the Rags Remembered Foundation – to help families foster the same passion he shared with his father. Ragnow consistently dedicates himself to the cause with a rare and altruistic sense of connection to the community he serves.
Each year, Ragnow and his Foundation hold a Fishin’ for Memories outreach program where families can learn to fish from the two-time Pro Bowler and create lasting memories that provide children with an outlet for their grief. Each child receives their own fishing pole, supplies and gear while also having the opportunity to take a private boat tour with Ragnow with the goal…
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