BEREA, Ohio — The Browns may not be ending the season with new hardware for the trophy case, but a few players are being recognized for their efforts and demeanor on the field this year, as voted on by the Pro Football Writers of America covering the team.
Left guard Joel Bitonio has earned the PFWA's Player of the Year, named the "Joe Thomas Award." The award was renamed in 2018 after Browns legend Pro Bowler Joe Thomas. It is given annually to the team's MVP, voted on by local PFWA.
Bitonio has been a staple on the offensive line, continuing to play at a high level through numerous injuries to his linemates and changes at quarterback. The left guard, who hasn't missed an offensive snap since 2016, was recently named to his fifth straight Pro Bowl.
Meanwhile, one of the quarterbacks Bitonio protected this season—Jacoby Brissett—won an award of his own, taking the honors of the Dino Lucarelli Good Guy Award.
The Dino Lucarelli Good Guy Award is given annually to a player to highlight their cooperation with the media and for the way a player carries themselves in the community and with their team.
Brissett, despite being a bit reserved, filled press conferences with thoughtful answers and a good amount of humor. Brissett became beloved by his teammates and deemed the "funny guy" while also impressing on the field through the first 11 games of the season while Deshaun Watson served his suspension.
In the community, Brissett became very involved, bringing a Halloween Fashion Show to Cleveland for children with The Littlest Heroes, an organization that provides emergency financial support for families battling pediatric cancer and other childhood illness.
Other players who received votes for the Good Guy award include Bitonio, Amari Cooper, John Johnson III, Greg Newsome II, Sione Takitaki and Wyatt Teller.
The two awards highlight two players, Bitonio and Brissett, that the Browns rallied around this season for leadership, support and production, both of whom delivered in different but big ways.
Cleveland Browns PFWA Joe Thomas Award - Player of the Year Winners:
2001 LB Jamir Miller
2002 RB William Green
2003 LB Andra Davis
2004 SS Robert Griffith
2005 RB Reuben Droughns
2006 LB Kamerion Wimbley
2007 QB Derek Anderson
2008 DL Shaun Rogers
2009 KR Joshua Cribbs
2010 RB Peyton Hillis
2011 LB D’Qwell Jackson
2012 K Phil Dawson
2013 WR Josh Gordon
2014 OL Joe Thomas
2015 TE Gary Barnidge
2016 OL Joe Thomas
2017 RB Duke Johnson Jr.
2018 QB Baker Mayfield
2019 RB Nick Chubb
2020 DE Myles Garrett
2021 DE Myles Garrett
2022 OL Joel Bitonio
Cleveland Browns PFWA Dino Lucarelli ‘Good Guy Award’ Winners:
2001 QB Tim Couch
2002 DB Corey Fuller
2003 OL Shaun O’Hara
2004 DB Daylon McCutcheon
2005 OL Jeff Faine
2006 DB Brian Russell
2007 K Phil Dawson
2008 DB Brandon McDonald
2009 LB David Bowens
2010 OL Joe Thomas
2011 DB Mike Adams
2012 LB D’Qwell Jackson
2013 OL Joe Thomas
2014 QB Brian Hoyer
2015 QB Josh McCown
2016 LB Christian Kirksey
2017 OL Joel Bitonio
2018 OL Joel Bitonio
2019 DL Sheldon Richardson
2020 DL Larry Ogunjobi
2021 OL Joel Bitonio and DE Myles Garrett
2022 QB Jacoby Brissett
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