Through the ups and downs of the Browns' 2024 season, LG Joel Bitonio's leadership has been a consistent presence on the field and in the locker room.
The 11-year veteran was awarded the Dino Lucarelli ‘Good Guy Award’ by the local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America on Jan. 1, given annually to a player for his cooperation with the media and for the way the player carries himself in the community and with his teammates. Bitonio has won the award five times in his career.
"I wasn't going to come up here, and then I found out I won," Bitonio joked on Jan. 1. "So, I decided to come up."
Bitonio hopes that his next time speaking to the media will come after a win. The Browns will once again look for Bitonio's leadership as they look to close out the season with a Week 18 win over the Ravens.
"He's just an amazing person, a guy I rely on a ton when talking about things that have to do with this football team," head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Dec. 27. "And just the way he leads, I'm always leaning on him."
Bitonio, who has played 160 career games across his 11 seasons in the NFL, has continued to show his resilience. When he checks into the game in Week 18, Bitonio will have started all 17 of the Browns' games this season.
No NFL offensive lineman has logged more snaps than Bitonio this season, who has been on the field for 1,119 snaps through 16 games. Throughout the season, Bitonio has showed his ability to continue playing at a high level, holding a 70.2 pass blocking grade per Pro Football Focus – the 33rd best score out of 130 NFL offensive guards this season.
"He's been an anchor for us," offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said. "He's still playing at a high level and he's a smart, tough, dependable football player. And that's what you look for in offenses and that's embodied in his DNA."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Baltimore Ravens at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Defensive end Sam Kamara (92) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Cornerback Myles Harden (26) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Defensive end James Houston (96) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Running back John Kelly Jr. (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Running back John Kelly Jr. (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back John Kelly Jr. (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back Aidan Robbins (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back Jacob Kibodi (36) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Safety Chris Edmonds (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Tight end Cameron Latu (44) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Tight end Brenden Bates (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Offensive Line Coach Andy Dickerson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Team Logistics Assistant Hunter Carson, Offensive Assistant/Quarterbacks Coach Ashton Grant, and Bill Willis Diversity Fellow Nemo Washington during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Running back Aidan Robbins (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back Jacob Kibodi (36) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back Aidan Robbins (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
`Running back Jacob Kibodi (36) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Safety Juan Thornhill (1) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back Aidan Robbins (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Safety Juan Thornhill (1) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Director of Equipment Operations Kory Gillissie and Equipment Intern Sophia Birlson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 2, 2025.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back Aidan Robbins (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Cornerback Chigozie Anusiem (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back John Kelly Jr. (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Running back Aidan Robbins (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Callie Brownson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on January 1, 2025.
Part of what has made Bitonio such an asset to the Browns throughout his career has been his availability. Since Stefanski joined the Browns in 2020, Bitonio has missed just four games due to injury over the past five seasons.
This season, Bitonio has been listed on the weekly practice injury report with elbow, knee, foot, pectoral, elbow, ankle and back injuries – collecting what he called the bumps and bruises that come with playing a full a season in the NFL. Bitonio's willingness to fight through the litany of injuries he's had this season is not lost on his teammates, including those on the other side of the ball.
"Just complete consistency," DE Myles Garrett said on what Bitonio has displayed throughout his career. "Whether it's demeanor or performance, you know exactly what you're going to get out of him."
Part of Bitonio's consistency has been evident in his ability to play across the offensive line. In Week 3 against the Giants, Bitonio slid over to left tackle after LT Jedrick Wills Jr. left with an injury.
Garrett thinks Bitonio's versatility has cemented him among the ranks of the best players at his position.
"He's been as healthy as any of the elite and top guys and definitely performed at an elite level of all the years that I've been here," Garrett said. "So, I have a massive amount of respect for him. He's shown he can play across the line from tackle to guard. I've seen him take snaps at center. So, he's definitely one of the best that I've seen."
While Bitonio serves as a leader by example with how he prepares for games and takes care of his body, he is also an active mentor to younger offensive linemen on the roster.
In Week 3, RG Wyatt Teller suffered a knee injury against the Giants and rookie G Zak Zinter came in as a replacement. After Teller was placed on the injured reserve list the following week, Bitonio and Zinter worked closely together as the rookie prepared for his first NFL start. Bitonio helped Zinter study his upcoming matchups and made the rookie a "tip sheet" full of details and advice to give him an idea of what he might see during the game.
"I was just talking to him about understanding his assignment, understanding his responsibility, really who he's going against this week, trying to create a game plan that's going to help," Bitonio said on Sept. 26 ahead of Zinter's first start in Week 4 against the Raiders.
Despite Bitonio's leadership and strong performance on the field, the Browns have experienced what Bitonio called a "frustrating" season, losing 13 games and winning only three. Bitonio hopes to end the season on a positive note with a road win over the division rival Ravens.
"I just didn't expect us to be in this position," Bitonio said. "You're playing for pride, you're playing for your own resume, your own worth."
