Joel Bitonio, a fixture on the left side of Cleveland’s offensive line for the past 12 years, has officially announced his retirement from the NFL.
The 7x Pro Bowl guard made things official on Tuesday, firming up what many around the team already assumed following his locker clean out statements in January of 2026. Bitonio saw his contract voided in March, making him an unrestricted free agent as the Browns opted to move in a new direction under new head coach Todd Monken this spring.
The 34 year old toyed with the idea of retiring last spring, before eventually returning for his 12th NFL campaign. Originally selected 35th overall by the team in the 2014 draft, Bitonio made 178 career starts for the Browns, en route to 2x first team All-Pro selections.
“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 in his farewell letter to fans. “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.”
“Now that job is finished. After 12 seasons of wearing No. 75 in brown and orange, I have officially decided to retire.”
“It’s hard to put into words. Just try to give it everything. It’s tough. You try and go out there and be the best version of yourself and do what you can to help the team win. And I try to do that every day. That’s what I did.”
The Browns completely overhauled their offensive line this offseason, trading for RT Tytus Howard, while signing Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, and Teven Jenkins. They then went out and selected LT Spencer Fano 9th overall in this spring’s draft, adding one of the top tackles to their new look position group.
Only Teven Jenkins returns from the 2025 group, with GM Andrew Berry prioritizing getting younger and more physical up front this season. Joe Royer, Austin Barber, and Parker Brailsford were also added to the mix to provide additional depth this offseason.
The new look Browns will take to the field for preseason action against the Chicago Bears on August 15th. After they wrap up additional preseason contests against the Bills and Patriots, they’ll officially kick off their 2026 NFL campaign against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 13th at 1pm ET.
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.