A Cleveland Browns cornerstone hangs it up, as Joel Bitonio officially announces his retirement from the NFL
The Joel Bitonio era in Cleveland has officially come to an end.
After a productive 12-year career, all of them spent with the Browns, Bitonio officially announced his retirement from the NFL. It was a decision that seemed inevitable after Cleveland spent much much of the offseason rebuilding its offensive line without Bitonio.
Back in March the two sides purposefully pushed back a deadline in Bitonio's contract from mid-February in order to give giving him more time to make a decision on his future. That deadline came and went, as did the start of the new league year, where Bitonio officially became a free agent for the first time in his career. Meanwhile, the Browns took on $23.5 million in dead money with the expiration of his contract.
At the conclusion of the season, Bitonio made it clear that he was going to take his time to weigh his final decision, factoring in his health, input from his family and the state of the team. It was the second straight offseason that he contemplated retirement. This time, he settled on hanging them up.
"Truthfully, as time passed and my career kept going, there was never a point where I could envision myself in a different uniform," Bitonio wrote in his official retirement announcement, through the team. "Wearing that orange helmet and being part of this franchise – from getting drafted to signing three contracts – I felt a loyalty to the Browns, and it gave me a sense of pride to represent a fan base who is consistently loyal to us. I started the job here, and once I got to a certain point, I knew I wanted to finish the job in Cleveland.
"Now that job is finished. After 12 seasons of wearing No. 75 in brown and orange, I have officially decided to retire."
His retirement coincides with the expiration of his contract, as well, leaving Cleveland on the hook for a $23 million dead cap hit.
Drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft, Bitonio quickly stepped into a starting role at left guard next to Hall of Famer Joe Thomas as a rookie. That duo became the anchors of the group until Thomas retired in 2017.
In Thomas' departure, Bitonio continued his model consistency and professionalism, passing it on to the numerous different iterations of offensive lines that followed.
During his end-of-season press conference, Bitonio got emotional reflecting on his career and what it meant to him to play for the Browns.
"It's hard to put into words," the veteran said with tears in his eyes. "You know? I just tried to give it everything. It's tough. You try and go out there and be the best version of yourself and do what you can to help the team win. And I tried to do that every day. That's what I did."
Over Bitonio's 12 years in Cleveland, the Browns posted just two winning seasons, resulting in two playoff appearances. In 2020, the franchise went 11-5 to snap a 17-year playoff drought. It punctuated the trip by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round in the first playoff win since 1995.
Bitonio missed the game due to Covid-19, but returned one week later to face the Kansas City Chiefs, a game Cleveland lost 22-17.
“Joel Bitonio set the standards for on-field excellence, professionalism and loyalty during his 12-year career with our organization," Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in a statement. "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."
Three years later, the Bitonio and the Browns returned to the playoffs after an 11-6 season. That run ended abruptly after a 45-14 Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans.
Bitonio leaves the NFL as a two-time First Team All-Pro and a three-time Second-Team All-Pro. He was elected to seven Pro Bowls between 2018-2024. He also made 178 total starts, the most by a player since the franchise returned to town in 1999. He finishes ninth on the Browns' all-time games played list, one spot ahead of his good friend, Thomas.
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