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Joel Bitonio Retires After 12 Seasons, 178 Starts

6/10/2026

Summary

Joel Bitonio Retires

Joel Bitonio retired on June 9, 2026 after 12 seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
He started all 178 games he played, the most for the Browns since 1999.
Bitonio earned seven Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro honors and three second-team All-Pro nods.
His retirement leaves a gap that the Browns aim to fill by adding Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins and Tytus Howard.

Summary

Bitonio Retires

Guard Joel Bitonio retired with $107 million in career earnings, making him the NFL’s third-highest-earning guard per Spotrac.
The Browns took $23.5 million of dead-cap space after delaying the contract void to February.
In 2023 the Bitonio family donated $1 million to renovate Nevada’s football strength and conditioning facility.
At an April youth camp in Reno, Bitonio said he had weighed retirement and could not picture playing for any team other than Cleveland.

Summary

Bitonio Hall Candidacy

His contract was voided on March 11, turning him into an unrestricted free agent before retirement.
He received the Dino Lucarelli “Good Guy Award” six times, the most for any Browns player.
He missed the Browns’ only expansion-era postseason win on Jan. 10, 2021 because he was sidelined with COVID-19.
Analysts argue his résumé makes a strong case for eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame induction.

History

Historical Context

After Art Modell moved the original Browns to Baltimore in 1996, a settlement forced him to leave the team’s name, colors and history in Cleveland and created a three-year suspension (1996-1998). The NFL then awarded Al Lerner an expansion franchise for $530 million, and the new Cleveland Browns Stadium broke ground in May 1997, allowing the team to resume play in 1999.

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Joel Bitonio Retires

Joel Bitonio retired on June 9, 2026 after 12 seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
He started all 178 games he played, the most for the Browns since 1999.
Bitonio earned seven Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro honors and three second-team All-Pro nods.
His retirement leaves a gap that the Browns aim to fill by adding Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins and Tytus Howard.

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