Browns' Five-Time All-Pro Opens Up About Myles Garrett, Looming Retirement Decision

A Cleveland stalwart finds himself at a crossroads.

Joel Bitonio on Jan. 30, 2025. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In 11 years with the Cleveland Browns, guard Joel Bitonio has seen everything.

His rookie season in 2014 was overshadowed by a quarterback controversy between Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel. From there, the franchise slumped to the low of an 0–16 campaign in '17 and ascended to the high of a divisional-round run in 2020.

Through it all, Bitonio has remained loyal. However, with the Browns staring down the prospect of another rebuild, the seven-time Pro Bowler will have a decision to make this offseason.

"We’re still working through it. It’s really been good to spend some time with the family, just have been enjoying that," Bitonio said Saturday via Scott Petrak of BrownsZone, of the offseason and whether he has made a decision on whether to return in 2025. “It’s going to come soon, but we’re still working on it.”

Bitonio, who compared his shifts in thinking to "a little bit of a roller coaster," also discussed defensive end Myles Garrett's ballyhooed trade request—empathizing with the future Hall of Famer's frustration.

"Obviously we want Myles on the Cleveland Browns. He’s the best pass rusher in the league. You don’t want to get rid of a generational player like that," Bitonio said. "So we’re hoping they can work things out. We want Myles to be a Cleveland Brown for a long time.”

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