The Cleveland Browns released a statement from Bitonio and held a press conference in Berea where he was joined by his wife and children.
"I poured myself into it, I was 100% committed to this team and organization," Bitonio said. "I always wanted to be the best version of myself to make the team as good as we could be. That's what I pushed for, and I hope people remember this guy was tough, this guy is gonna fight for his teammates."
He was the 35th overall pick in the 2014 draft, a second-round selection out of Nevada, and spent every one of his 178 NFL starts in orange and brown.
The Career He Built
Bitonio became a two-time first-team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, the most Pro Bowl appearances of any offensive lineman in Browns franchise history.
His 178 starts rank ninth in franchise history, the most by any player since the Browns returned to Cleveland in 1999.
He played 1,027 offensive snaps last season at age 34, starting all 17 games, a durability record across a career that saw him miss just two games from 2017 onward.
Joel Bitonio has officially announced his retirement after 12 seasons with the Browns, expressing deep loyalty to the franchise and the fanbase while stating that he always intended to finish his career in Cleveland wearing the orange helmet.
— BrownsNation.com (@BrownsNationcom) June 9, 2026
"Truthfully, as time passed and my… pic.twitter.com/gA3hCtwUjK
He accumulated more than $107 million in career earnings.
He also described, in the letter he wrote for the Browns' website, the moment that made twelve difficult years worth it.
"When I watched Baker keep the football and run around the right end for the first down, clinching the playoffs and beating the Steelers, all I could think at first was that we had finally made it."
Why He Stayed
Bitonio acknowledged in his statement that a Super Bowl was the one thing he never accomplished, and that a small part of him considered chasing that dream with another team.
He chose Cleveland instead.
"Truthfully, as time passed and my career kept going, there was never a point where I could envision myself in a different uniform," Bitonio said. "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."
#Browns G Joel Bitonio in his opening remarks announcing his retirement:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 9, 2026
“I was drafted the same year as Johnny Manziel. And we actually roomed together. I learned some things NOT to do from him.” 😱😭 https://t.co/yjCDEhQ0d2 pic.twitter.com/QHeIeNcxgQ
GM Andrew Berry and the Browns had left a contract offer open throughout the offseason, giving Bitonio time to make the decision on his own terms without pressure.
His retirement will leave a big vacancy on an offensive line that already lost right guard Wyatt Teller in free agency, creating a challenging rebuilding task on Cleveland's roster heading into 2026.
Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
