Joel Bitonio‘s future remained uncertain throughout the 2026 offseason. Another Browns contract remained something the team was open to, but the decorated guard has elected to hang up his cleats at the age of 34.
“Truthfully, as time passed and my career kept going, there was never a point where I could envision myself in a different uniform,” Bitonio said in a statement on Tuesday. “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.”
For multiple years, retirement has been a talking point in Bitonio’s case. The seven-time Pro Bowler managed to play out the entirety of his three-year extension signed in 2021, and he agreed to delay the void date on his expiring pact in February. Remaining on the open market well into the spring, Bitonio could have easily explored his options with respect to other teams. To no surprise, though, he has chosen to end his playing career after playing exclusively in Cleveland.
A second-round pick in 2014, Bitonio immediately took on a starting role during his rookie season. He remained a fixture at the left guard spot through this past season, performing as one of the league’s best interior blockers along the way. The Nevada product was a Pro Bowler every year from 2018-24, and he earned an All-Pro nod (second-team on three occasions, first-team twice) during the first five seasons of that stretch.
Partnering with Wyatt Teller over a seven-year period, Bitonio was a key figure on one of the league’s top interior offensive lines for much of his career. Teller departed in free agency, adding him to the long list of blockers from 2025 who are no longer in place for Cleveland. The team kept the door open to a new Bitonio deal, but his retirement will leave a challenging vacancy to fill moving forward as the Browns proceed with a completely revamped O-line.
In all, Bitonio totaled 180 combined regular and postseason appearances, starting every one of them. His NFL tenure will come to an end after he amassed just over $107MM in career earnings.
Good guy i suppose for wanting to honor the fans of the team who drafted him by staying in Cleveland his entire career?
Must not have cared enough about wanting to win though, which seems sad for a pro athlete.
“Must not have cared enough about wanting to win though, which seems sad for a pro athlete.”
From a Raiders fan, this is quite rich lol
And that applies to Joes comments how? Who’s the analogy on raiders?
Both things can’t be true?
No cred.
Great statement! Enjoy retirement.
imo – better guard than either Teven Jenkins or Zion Johnson. Browns would have been better off keeping him for another year.
that is the nicest way of saying i’m sick