Another big change for the Cleveland Browns going into the 2026 NFL season with OL Joel Bitonio calling it a career. Given the Browns moves this offseason, the assumption was that Bitonio would retire or look for that last chance to chase a Super Bowl title. With the whole team in town for mandatory minicamp, Bitonio was able to say goodbye to everyone on Tuesday.
Whether Bitonio’s career rose to the level of the Hall of Fame will not be decided for at least five years, but Cleveland fans had a chance
to enjoy and appreciate his entire NFL time in one uniform, just like his former running mate, HOFer Joe Thomas.
A look at Bitonio’s Browns career in numbers:
- 12 seasons
- 178 games started and played
- 4 tackles
- 7 straight Pro Bowls
- 2 first-team All-Pro
- 3 second-team All-Pro
- 11,847 snaps on offense
- 590 snaps on special teams
- 38 total penalties (19 false starts, 13 holding, 2 declined or offsetting)
Pro Football Focus never graded Bitonio under 63.9 (2024), with his best season coming in 2021 (93.6).
According to Over the Cap, Bitonio has the record for career earnings for left guards at just over $107 million. With a second-round rookie contract and two extensions, Bitonio averaged just under $9 million a year during his career.
Unfortunately, Cleveland did not win a lot of games during Bitonio’s time:
- 2014: 7-9
- 2015: 3-13
- 2016: 1-15
- 2017: 0-16
- 2018: 7-8-1
- 2019: 6-10
- 2020: 11-5
- 2021: 8-9
- 2022: 7-10
- 2023: 11-6
- 2024: 3-14
- 2025: 5-12
Bitonio also blocked for 22 starting quarterbacks in his 12 seasons with the Browns.
