2 hours ago 
Seven-time Pro Bowl defender Joel Bitonio announced his status Tuesday, bringing to a adjacent a 12-year NFL vocation spent wholly with the Cleveland Browns. The 34-year-old, selected successful the 2nd circular of the 2014 draught retired of Nevada, started each 178 games helium played and became the franchise’s longest-tenured subordinate since the Browns returned successful 1999.
At a Tuesday property league successful Berea, Ohio, Bitonio appeared alongside his wife, Courtney, and their 3 children, who each wore his signature No. 75 jersey. Reflecting connected the finality of his decision, Bitonio revealed that he knew his playing days were over soon aft the decision of the 2025 season, but continued visiting the squad installation portion rehabbing injuries earlier finalizing his decision.
In a heartfelt farewell missive published connected the franchise’s website, Bitonio addressed his determination to stay a lifelong subordinate of the enactment alternatively of moving to a rubric contender precocious successful his career: “Truthfully, arsenic clip passed and my vocation kept going, determination was ne'er a constituent wherever I could envision myself successful a antithetic uniform. Wearing that orangish helmet and being portion of this franchise — from getting drafted to signing 3 contracts — I felt a loyalty to the Browns, and it gave maine a consciousness of pridefulness to correspond a instrumentality basal who is consistently loyal to us. I started the occupation here, and erstwhile I got to a definite point, I knew I wanted to decorativeness the occupation successful Cleveland. Now that occupation is finished. After 12 seasons of wearing No. 75 successful brownish and orange, I person officially decided to discontinue … erstwhile I looked astatine my vocation and each that I had achieved — the All-Pros, Pro Bowls, drawback streaks and playoff appearances — determination was lone 1 happening near that I inactive hoped to accomplish: a Super Bowl. A tiny portion of maine thought astir wanting to pursuit that dream, but astatine the extremity of the day, my bosom was acceptable connected being a Cleveland Brown for life. This metropolis was wherever my NFL vocation was expected to commencement and finish. For that imagination to beryllium a reality, I could not beryllium much grateful.”
General manager Andrew Berry praised Bitonio’s leadership, consistency and interaction connected the organization, portion noting the squad gave him further clip to marque his determination by extending the void day connected his contract. He lauded Bitonio’s vocation arsenic Canton-bound, confirming his eventual induction into the team’s Ring of Honor.
Selected by Cleveland successful the 2nd circular of the 2014 NFL Draft with the 35th wide pick, Bitonio developed into 1 of the league’s premier interior blockers. He garnered 7 Pro Bowl selections and 5 All-Pro honors, including first-team nods successful 2021 and 2022. Renowned for his durability and pass-protection prowess, Bitonio amassed 178 vocation starts, surpassing Hall of Famer Joe Thomas for the astir starts by immoderate Browns subordinate since the franchise was reactivated successful 1999. His precocious level of play extended done his last play successful 2025, wherever analytics ranked him among the league’s top-performing guards successful walk artifact triumph rate.
Beyond his on-field execution, Bitonio was highly regarded for his enactment and assemblage involvement, serving arsenic Cleveland’s longest-tenured captain. He earned the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year information successful 2022 and was doubly honored with the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
Editorial credit: kovop / Shutterstock.com
English (US)·