Perhaps more important than any potential accolade, a retiring NFL player wants to be well remembered by the fans. It is a sign of appreciation that does not come with a framed jersey or a gold jacket, but it could be worth much more than either of those as time goes by.
Leaving the game after 12 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, offensive lineman Joel Bitonio has a credible case to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is also very likely to be put into the Browns’ Ring of Honor.
After announcing his retirement on Tuesday, Bitonio revealed how he wants Browns fans to remember him, and that’s as someone who showed up to work every day ready to go.
“I truly always wanted to be the best version of myself to help the team. That’s what I pushed for. That’s what I hope people remember: This guy was tough. He was going to be out there. He’s going to fight for his teammates. He was just a consistent guy,” Bitonio said.
Joel Bitonio on how he wants to be remembered after 12 years with Browns pic.twitter.com/MvgMVjaG5r
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) June 9, 2026
Though he was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time All-Pro, Bitonio’s longevity as a left guard may be his most impressive accomplishment. He started every one of the 178 games he played for the Browns, and after two injury-limited seasons coming off his rookie year, he missed just two games over his final nine campaigns.
A second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, during his time with Cleveland, Bitonio blocked for 22 different starting quarterbacks. He also played with 14 different left tackles after Joe Thomas was injured and then retired.
Perhaps even more impressively, according to Pro Football Reference, Bitonio played 100 percent of the offensive snaps in 10 of his seasons, and he was at 90 percent and 94 percent in the other two. In total, he played almost 12,000 snaps on offense and nearly 600 on special teams.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam made Bitonio’s case for the Hall of Fame in his remarks about the longtime franchise icon. General manager Andrew Berry has already suggested that there is a Ring of Honor induction and Dawg Pound captaincy in Bitonio’s future.
Those ceremonies will be perfect opportunities for fans to show their appreciation for everything he gave to them and the team.
NEXT: Joel Bitonio Opens Up About Being Loyal To The Browns
