Joel Bitonio isn't ready to hang up his helmet and shoulder pads just yet.
He will wear brown and orange once again in 2025, as he is returning to Cleveland for at least the 2025 season.
First drafted by the Browns in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Bitonio has spent his entire NFL career in Cleveland. He is a five-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler. His seven Pro Bowl selections are fourth in team history, trailing just Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Thomas (10), Jim Brown (9) and Lou Groza (9). He is 13th all-time in games played by a Brown, and second behind Thomas in most starts by a Brown since 1999 with 161.
Bitonio took 1,177 offensive snaps during the 2024 season – the most in a season for his 11-year career. He played in all 17 games last season, as well as started each game.
Following the conclusion of a disappointing 2024 season in which the Browns went 3-14, Bitonio said he would take the offseason to assess his future. He said he had his routine exit interviews with the Browns in which they discussed the future and direction of the team, which was information he wanted to take into the offseason as part of his evaluation.
"I really want to decompress and feel it out and give myself a chance to rest the mind and the body and see where we're at," Bitonio said on Jan. 5. "The burden of playing in this league is tough. As an offensive lineman, you have to be fully committed. You're playing 55 to 85 snaps every game. I think I got close to almost 1,200 snaps this year on offense. And that's a big commitment."
He's used the past two months to come to his decision and make that full commitment once again. When the Browns take the field for Week 1 of the 2025 season, Bitonio will play in his 12th NFL season with the Browns.
Bitonio's veteran presence on the offensive line and leadership in the locker room are traits that have proven invaluable to the Browns – and will continue to be in the 2025 season.
"Just seeing him these last five seasons, first of all, I'll talk about the person first," head coach Kevin Stefanski said during the 2024 season. "Just an amazing person, a guy I rely on a ton when talking about things that have to do with this football team. And just the way he leads, I'm always leaning on him. The player – looks like a Hall of Fame career to me. I think he's got a lot left in the tank. This is a really, really good football player and I've seen some really good ones. He's right up there."
