Joel Bitonio Retires After 12 Seasons With Browns

Sport

By lines

June 9, 2026

Joel Bitonio announced his retirement after 12 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Bitonio leaves as a 7-time Pro Bowl guard. Bitonio played all 12 NFL seasons of his career in Cleveland. Bitonio ranks as one of the most decorated Browns linemen since 1999.

A Decade-Plus of Dominance on Cleveland’s Interior Line

Joel Bitonio played college football at Nevada before the 2014 NFL Draft. Cleveland selected Bitonio 35th overall in 2014. Bitonio started 178 regular-season games across 12 seasons. That total ranks first among Browns players since the 1999 return.

Bitonio earned 7 consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2018 through 2024. Bitonio collected 5 All-Pro honors during that stretch. Bitonio made 3 straight second-team All-Pro nods from 2018 to 2020. Bitonio then earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2021 and 2022.

Bitonio rarely left the Cleveland lineup over 12 seasons. The 178 Bitonio starts span the 2014 through 2025 seasons. That durability anchored the Browns through repeated rebuilds. Bitonio held the left guard spot for most of those 12 years.

Bitonio stayed productive into his final season in 2025. Bitonio posted a 75.7 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus that year. That mark ranked 8th among all NFL guards in 2025. Bitonio anchored the Cleveland line through multiple coaching changes.

Bitonio ranks among the most decorated Browns linemen since 1999. The 178 Bitonio starts top the franchise list in that span. Bitonio reached 7 Pro Bowls over a 12-season career. Bitonio added 5 All-Pro honors along the way.

Bitonio retires at age 34 without the one prize that eluded him. Bitonio never won a Super Bowl across 12 seasons. The 7 Pro Bowls and 5 All-Pro nods still define the Bitonio resume. Bitonio chose loyalty to Cleveland over chasing a ring elsewhere.

Cleveland turned a 35th overall pick into a 12-season anchor. Bitonio validated the 2014 investment with 178 career starts. The Browns leaned on Bitonio from his 2014 rookie year onward. Few 2014 draft picks delivered a longer Cleveland tenure than Bitonio.

Bitonio’s exit opens a hole on the 2026 Browns offensive line. Cleveland must now replace 178 career starts at guard. The Browns enter 2026 without their longest-tenured lineman. That void reshapes Cleveland’s protection plans for its quarterback.

Cleveland faces an immediate succession question this 2026 offseason. The Browns could promote a young guard or sign a veteran. Bitonio leaves a leadership gap beyond the 178 starts. The Cleveland line now turns on who fills the Bitonio role in 2026.