Joel Bitonio Reveals When He Knew Retirement Was Coming

It’s the end of an era for the Cleveland Browns as long-time offensive lineman Joel Bitonio officially announced his retirement this week after a 12-year career. For many people, this news wasn’t a shock. It certainly wasn’t surprising for Bitonio, who had been toying with retirement for a while.

Speaking to 92.3 The Fan, Bitonio said he had been thinking about it a lot and was pretty confident that 2025 would be his final season, but he didn’t want a lot of fanfare or a “retirement” tour.

“I thought about it the year before. I had a year left in my contract. I wanted to play this thing out. I still have more football left in me. Going into this last year I was pretty confident that this would be my last year, but I didn’t want to guarantee anything. I didn’t want a retirement tour either. By the time we were playing the last game of the season, I was 99% sure,” Bitonio said.

"Going into this last year I was pretty confident that this would be my last year, but I didn't want to guarantee anything. I didn't want a retirement tour either. By the time we were playing the last game of the year I was 99% sure."

📞Former Browns OL Joel Bitonio on when he… pic.twitter.com/npgZf9FDsw

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 11, 2026

Bitonio spent all 12 of his seasons with the Browns, and for the last few months, there has been a ton of speculation about what choice he was going to make. Most people thought he had two options: either retire or stay with the Browns. However, some fans envisioned Bitonio trying for one more run with another team.

Apparently, that was never in the cards, and Bitonio was either going to come back to Cleveland or hang up his jersey for good. But he was never going to rush this life-changing choice. Unfortunately, that led to a lot of rumors and even some frustration from fans who wanted a clear answer.

Now that it’s all said and done, Browns followers will look back at Bitonio and applaud all that he did for the team. He became one of the most consistent parts of the team, evolving from a second-round pick to a reliable vet who became a Pro-Bowler and All-Pro selection.

It would have been nice if Bitonio could have seen his team find more success during his tenure, but he still holds a special place in his heart for the Browns and always will.