{"id":4989,"date":"2025-11-27T10:29:35","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T15:29:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gofootballanalytics.com\/statsblog\/?p=4989"},"modified":"2025-11-27T10:29:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T15:29:35","slug":"joe-burrow-returns-frank-ragnow-unretires-j-j-mccarthy-in-concussion-protocol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gofootballanalytics.com\/statsblog\/joe-burrow-returns-frank-ragnow-unretires-j-j-mccarthy-in-concussion-protocol\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Burrow Returns, Frank Ragnow Unretires, J.J. McCarthy in Concussion Protocol"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Quarterback Developments<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Joe Burrow<\/strong> has been officially activated and is expected to start for the Bengals in Thursday night\u2019s divisional matchup against the Ravens, per multiple reports. Burrow&#8217;s return marks a significant boost as Cincinnati continues its playoff push in a tightly contested AFC North.<\/p>\n<p>In Minnesota, <strong>J.J. McCarthy<\/strong> remains in concussion protocol and is unlikely to suit up for Sunday&#8217;s road game against Seattle. Despite his absence, teammates <strong>Justin Jefferson<\/strong> and <strong>Aaron Jones<\/strong> publicly voiced support for McCarthy&#8217;s long-term future as the Vikings\u2019 starter, signaling organizational confidence in the rookie QB.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <strong>Justin Fields<\/strong> expressed surprise at his benching by the Jets but maintains that he sees himself as a starting quarterback. Fields had taken over midseason but struggled to galvanize the offense. The Jets have yet to clarify their long-term plans, but Fields\u2019 comments reflect ongoing uncertainty at the position for New York.<\/p>\n<h2>Injuries<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Omarion Hampton<\/strong> of the Chargers revealed he has been playing through a left ankle fracture sustained in Week 5. Though he is hopeful to play this Sunday against the Raiders, Hampton states the final call lies with the medical staff. His availability will be key as Los Angeles fights to stay in AFC playoff contention.<\/p>\n<p>The Lions\u2019 final injury report ahead of their Thanksgiving Day game lists five players as out: <strong>Graham Glasgow<\/strong> (C), <strong>Kerby Joseph<\/strong> (S), <strong>Josh Paschal<\/strong> (DE), <strong>Kalif Raymond<\/strong> (WR), and <strong>Brock Wright<\/strong> (TE). Several more are questionable, including starters such as <strong>Taylor Decker<\/strong> (OL), <strong>Penei Sewell<\/strong> (OL), and <strong>Terrion Arnold<\/strong> (CB), potentially impacting both their offensive line stability and secondary depth against the Packers.<\/p>\n<h2>Return from Retirement<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Frank Ragnow<\/strong>, the Pro Bowl center, has officially come out of retirement and was reinstated by the Lions before being placed on the Exempt\/Commissioner Permission List. Though he is ineligible to play immediately, sources indicate his first potential return date is December 14 against the Rams. A symbolic morale boost to Detroit\u2019s locker room, Ragnow\u2019s return could provide valuable reinforcement down the stretch if he regains game shape in time for the playoff race.<\/p>\n<h2>Suspensions<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Tre\u2019von Moehrig<\/strong> will miss Sunday\u2019s game against the Rams after his one-game suspension was upheld on appeal. The Raiders will be forced to adjust their secondary rotation in his absence as they try to remain relevant in the AFC Wild Card picture.<\/p>\n<h2>Contract News<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Will Lutz<\/strong> has signed a three-year, $16.1 million extension with the Broncos, including $9 million guaranteed and a $5.2 million signing bonus. The deal places Lutz among the NFL\u2019s highest-paid kickers and reflects Denver&#8217;s confidence in his performance this season.<\/p>\n<h2>Coaching News<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Chris Shula<\/strong>, the Rams\u2019 defensive coordinator, acknowledged growing speculation of him being a head coaching candidate. While stating that it&#8217;s a long-term goal, Shula emphasized loyalty to his current staff and commitment to the ongoing season. His rising profile aligns with the Rams defense\u2019s strong performance in 2025 and marks him as a name to watch during the upcoming coaching carousel.<\/p>\n<h2>Historical Reflection<\/h2>\n<p>As this year\u2019s Thanksgiving slate kicks off, Bears fans recall last year&#8217;s controversial late-game decision from head coach <strong>Matt Eberflus<\/strong>, who opted not to use his final timeout in a critical moment \u2014 a choice many believe cost Chicago the game. While not a current event, the recurrence of the discussion speaks to ongoing scrutiny of Eberflus\u2019 clock management and situational decision-making.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Quarterback Developments Joe Burrow has been officially activated and is expected to start for the Bengals in Thursday night\u2019s divisional matchup against the Ravens, per multiple reports. Burrow&#8217;s return marks a significant boost as Cincinnati continues its playoff push in a tightly contested AFC North. In Minnesota, J.J. McCarthy remains in concussion protocol and is&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofootballanalytics.com\/statsblog\/joe-burrow-returns-frank-ragnow-unretires-j-j-mccarthy-in-concussion-protocol\/\" rel=\"bookmark\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Joe Burrow Returns, Frank Ragnow Unretires, J.J. McCarthy in Concussion Protocol<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.7.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Joe Burrow Returns, Frank Ragnow Unretires, J.J. McCarthy in Concussion Protocol<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Joe Burrow Returns, Frank Ragnow Unretires, J.J. 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