Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio retires after 12 seasons

Longtime Cleveland Browns offensive guard Joel Bitonio announced his retirement on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, concluding a 12-season NFL career spent entirely with the franchise that drafted him. The 34-year-old made the announcement through a statement released by the team, citing a deep loyalty to the organization and its fans as the primary reason for ending his playing days.

Bitonio, a second-round pick in 2014, started every one of the 178 regular-season games he played for Cleveland, the ninth-most in franchise history and the most by any player since the team's return to the NFL in 1999. He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time First-Team All-Pro, establishing himself as one of the league's premier interior offensive linemen throughout his career. His final season in 2025 saw him start all 17 games and play over 1,000 offensive snaps.

In his retirement statement, Bitonio emphasized that he never seriously considered playing for another team. He said that as time passed, he could never envision himself in a different uniform, expressing pride in representing a loyal fan base. The decision had been contemplated since the end of the last season, and the Browns'...