BEREA, Ohio — Joel Bitonio has spent the offseason weighing out the options for his future. To return to the Browns, to sign with a new team or to hang up his cleats—and after months of awaiting the answer, the offensive lineman announced his decision on Tuesday in Berea. Bitonio is saying farewell to his playing days.
The Browns selected Bitonio in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Since then, Bitonio has taken the field for 11,847 offensive snaps. He has played in 178 games and started in all of them. He's become a staple of the left side of the trenches, holding things down as the starting left guard but never saying no if needed to slide over to tackle in a pinch.
Bitonio has played 12 seasons in the league, all in orange and brown.
But those 12 years have taken a toll on the veteran lineman's body. Playing in the trenches isn't easy on the knees or the back. Bitonio has dealt with wear and tear to both. He contemplated retiring last offseason before deciding to return for Year 12.
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During locker cleanout in January, the last time Bitonio spoke to the media before making his decision, the guard said he was weighing several factors, including the change at head coach from Kevin Stefanski to Todd Monken.
"I've kind of been saying my body, how I feel is going to be the No. 1 decision, but you’ve got to know who you're playing for and the situation that you're going to step into. So it's definitely a factor," Bitonio said the day after the season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. "Anytime you beat Pittsburgh and Cincy, the division guys, it's extra special, and you don't know if it is the last, if it's not. I definitely took in the moments yesterday a little bit in case it is the last, but I was happy to walk off with a win. I remember my first win. I don't know if anybody remembers, but it was Saints, Week 2 of 2014, walk-off field goal, Billy Cundiff. We beat the Saints on a walk-off, and then I was like, ‘Ah, if this one happens to be the last one, walk-off field goal against the Bengals.’ So that'd be a cool way to kind of cap it. But I'm just so focused on my family right now and how I'm going to recover here in the next few weeks, and then I'll make a more informed decision in a few weeks.”
Those weeks led him to Tuesday's announcement, in which he officially announced he was hanging up his cleats.
Bitonio's career is one to be proud of. While he and his Browns were on the losing side of things more often than Bitonio would have cared for, he did get to play in two playoff games—a Wild Card game against the Houston Texans in the 2023 season and an AFC Divisional Round game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 season.
Unfortunately, Bitonio didn't get to play in the Browns' only playoff win since 1999 after being sidelined with COVID-19 for the Wild Card victory over the Steelers, but he still supported his team throughout the game.
Over his 12 years, Bitonio earned First-Team All-Pro honors twice, Second-Team All-Pro honors three times and was named to the Pro Bowl seven times.
The Browns have lost a cornerstone of their line, a guy who has blocked for 21 different starting quarterbacks and done it with joy.
He's loved the game of football and playing for the Cleveland Browns.
Despite all the adversity the team faced over the years—the injuries, the 0-16 season, the coaching changes that saw five different leaders at the helm—through it all, Bitonio had a passionate fanbase behind him and the many iterations of the Cleveland Browns. The fans have always loved Bitonio, and he's loved them just the same.
The Dawg Pound won't soon forget Bitonio's loyalty, leadership, and passion for Cleveland and the Browns.
In a letter to fans, Bitonio said: "There was never a point where I could envision myself in a different uniform."
He added, "It gave me a sense of pride to represent a fan base who is consistently loyal to us."
General Manager Andrew Berry released the following statement on Bitonio's retirement:
“Joel Bitonio set the standards for on-field excellence, professionalism and loyalty during his 12-year career with our organization. Few have achieved as much as Joel has during his 178 starts. With seven Pro Bowls, five All-Pro selections and being the best interior lineman at his peak, we applaud a career that should be Canton-bound. Everyone knows Joel's on-field accomplishments, but he was able to elevate the entire building during his tenure because he is a Hall of Fame person. He was our longest-tenured captain, a Walter Payton Man of the Year and his dedication to Northeast Ohio both within the walls of 76 Lou Groza Boulevard and beyond is aspirational to us all. Although Joel is now entering the next phase of his life, he will always be Browns family. We excitedly look forward to the day when he is inducted into our Ring of Honor and a Dawg Pound captain."
