Joel Bitonio, a 2014 second-round pick of the Browns who spent his entire 12-year NFL career in Cleveland, has announced his retirement.
Bitonio, a two-time first-team All-Pro guard, announced his retirement with an article on the Browns’ website in which he said he always saw Cleveland as his permanent football home.
“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. “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.”
Bitonio was a consistent and reliable presence on the Browns’ offensive line, and he credited older offensive linemen in Cleveland who set the standard he lived up to.
“I remember during my rookie season we were in the meeting room, and someone mentioned Joe Thomas had never missed a snap in eight seasons. That notion blew me away. Then Alex Mack, who was in his sixth season, said he had also not missed a snap. Mitchell Schwartz piped up and added he hadn’t missed a snap in his first two seasons,” Bitonio wrote. “And that set the standard for me. You’re an NFL offensive lineman; you come in, you play when you can play, you don’t miss any snaps. So I made that my mindset. . . . I played 6,481 consecutive offensive plays beginning from the 2017 season and lasting through the 2023 season.”
Bitonio also played every snap last season, which was the last year on his contract. He is technically a free agent, but there’s no doubt in his mind that he’s a Brown for life.
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