Joel Bitonio Retires After 12 Seasons

Joel Bitonio, the Browns’ stalwart offensive lineman for 12 seasons, has officially retired — a move that caps a career defined by consistency, leadership, and unwavering loyalty to Cleveland. Drafted in 2014, he became a cornerstone of the line, starting every game since his rookie year and anchoring the unit alongside Hall of Famer Joe Thomas. Despite limited team success — just two winning seasons and two playoff trips — Bitonio helped break the Browns’ 17-year playoff drought in 2020, even returning for a playoff game after missing the previous one due to COVID-19. His legacy includes two First-Team All-Pro honors, three Second-Team nods, and seven Pro Bowls. Now, with his contract expired and a $23.5M dead cap hit looming, Bitonio departs as one of the most respected and reliable players in franchise history. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4b0376b9cd18d36b