All articles tagged with #joel bitonio
Veteran Browns offensive lineman Joel Bitonio announced his retirement after 12 NFL seasons with Cleveland, reminiscing about veterans he learned from and joking about Johnny Manziel—who roomed with him in college and the NFL—while noting Manziel’s first‑round pick didn’t pan out and Bitonio went on to a long, productive career with multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.
Joel Bitonio, a 12-year Browns mainstay and two-time first-team All-Pro guard, announced his retirement, saying Cleveland is his permanent home and that he plans to finish his career with the Browns; he logged 6,481 consecutive offensive plays from 2017-2023 and started every snap again last season, and though technically a free agent, he envisions remaining a Brown for life.
Pittsburgh, after trading for Pittman Jr. and signing Dean and Dowdle, is weighing five remaining targets—Jalen Tolbert (WR), Joel Bitonio (G), Dre Greenlaw (LB), Christian Kirk (WR) and Jaquan Brisker (S)—as affordable depth upgrades at receiver, guard, linebacker, and safety, with a plan to mix veteran signings and drafting for 2027 readiness.
After five early free-agent signings, the Browns aren’t done building, tendering Ronnie Hickman, and watching Joel Bitonio reach unrestricted free agency, while retaining D’Angelo Ross to add depth in the secondary as Cleveland continues an OL-heavy rebuild and copes with the departures of Devin Bush and Cameron Thomas.
Myles Garrett and Joel Bitonio of the Cleveland Browns received local PFWA awards for the 2025 season, with Garrett winning the Joe Thomas Award for the third consecutive year and Bitonio earning the Good Guy Award for the sixth time, highlighting their outstanding performance and community engagement.
Browns left guard Joel Bitonio expressed strong support for head coach Kevin Stefanski, emphasizing his respect for Stefanski's leadership and the team's progress despite recent poor records, and highlighted Stefanski's potential to build a successful future for the team.
Browns guard Joel Bitonio criticized Acrisure Stadium's field as the worst he's played on, calling for NFL and NFLPA action to improve field conditions and ensure player safety, potentially including refusing to play on unsafe surfaces.
Joel Bitonio has expressed strong support for Joe Flacco as the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback, citing his leadership, experience, and health, which makes him the most likely choice for Week 1 amid ongoing competition and injuries among other contenders.
Despite a disappointing end to their NFL playoffs run, the Cleveland Browns had a successful 2023 season, with five players named to the Pro Bowl and six listed as alternatives. Due to injuries, Wyatt Teller and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah have joined the Pro Bowl team, bringing the total to seven participants. Teller is replacing Joel Bitonio, resulting in six current participants. Owusu-Koramoah's standout year for Cleveland led to his inclusion after initially being overlooked.
Myles Garrett was the only Cleveland Browns player voted to the Associated Press All-Pro first team this season, marking his third selection. Left guard Joel Bitonio, a two-time first-team All-Pro, was notably snubbed. Garrett, a candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, received 40 out of 50 first-place votes among edge rushers. The full AP 2023 NFL All-Pro team was also announced, with notable players from various teams making the list.
Cleveland Browns' guard Joel Bitonio acknowledged that the team "panicked a little bit" during their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, attributing it to a pick-six on the first play and the early loss of running back Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury. Bitonio also highlighted the challenge of replacing injured tackle Jack Conklin, who brought valuable experience and communication skills to the team.
The Browns and Eagles concluded their two days of joint practices in Philadelphia, with tensions rising and left guard Joel Bitonio expressing dissatisfaction with the Eagles' aggressive play towards Deshaun Watson. Mary Kay Cabot, Ashley Bastock, and Dan Labbe discussed the practice and shared their takeaways, including the reasons behind the Eagles' success.