Seven-time Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday after 12 seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
Bitonio, 34, officially called it a career after starting all 17 games in each of the past two seasons and all 178 in which he has appeared since being selected by the Browns in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Nevada.
“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 on the team’s website. “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.”
Bitonio made the Pro Bowl in each season from 2018-24 and was named a first-team All-Pro in both 2021 and 2022. He also was named the Browns’ Walter Payton Man of the Year.
Bitonio was the longest-tenured player on the Browns until his contract voided in March.
“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 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.”
