CLEVELAND — Walking off the field after Sunday's 20-3 loss to the Dolphins, Browns guard Joel Bitonio beat his chest and pointed to fans, then waved as he made his way to the tunnel and back to the locker rooms.
It's the same trek off the field that he's taken for the past 11 seasons. But it may have been the last time he took it inside Huntington Bank Field as the staple of the Browns offense line contemplates retirement.
Heading into Sunday's game, Bitonio had discussed the potential of hanging up his cleats at the end of the 2024 season. After 11 years in the trenches, 10,826 snaps and counting, six Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro selections and a whirlwind of changes within the Browns organization, Bitonio has been through a lot.
So this offseason, Bitonio will weigh his options and decide if he has enough left to return for another season.
"Truthfully, it's mostly personal, just how my body feels going into another season. The game, it's an amazing game, blessed to play it, but it's a stressful game, you put a lot on your body, how are you going to feel in 10 years or 15 years or 20 years? And so we'll just go from there, talk with the family and kind of see where we're at," Bitonio said.
Defensive end Myles Garrett recently said he wanted to see a plan from the Browns organization moving forward on addressing the falloff experienced this season.
Well, for me, I mean first of all I want to win. I want the Browns to be able to put me and us in position to win. I'm not trying to rebuild. I'm trying to win right now. I want that to be apparent, when the season's over and we have those discussions, I want them to be able to illuminate that for me, illustrate that for me, so that can be something that I can see in the near future. Because that's all we want to do. I'm going to stay loyal to a team that showed loyalty to me and faith in me by drafting me. But we have to do, at the end of the day, what's best for us. So if we have that alignment where this is something that is still possible in the near future, winning, going deep in the playoffs, putting a great defense out there, having a time of possession, running-game offense. Getting all the guys back. I think that would really keep my mind at rest, keep me settled. Not just mine, a lot of the guys on the defense, the D-line, around the team, but we have to continue to take strides forward, not just as players, but from the top down.
Like Garrett, Bitonio would also like to hear the plan. That might ultimately influence his decision.
"The goal now, you're in year 11, year 12, you want to try and win games. It's hard to go out there and have three wins right now. That's been tough. It's tough on your body. You just don't feel as good on Monday when you lose a game. So it's part of the process and you'd love to hear what the plan is going forward and kind of see where we're at, see how much winning you can do," Bitonio said before Sunday's game. "I don't know specifically with Joe Thomas, but he was in the start-slash middle of a rebuild when he was retiring and I don't know if that played a factor or if he was just done anyway, but you see that sometimes with guys where it's like, what do they have coming back and stuff like that. But that's all stuff I'm going to worry about in the offseason. Right now, I've got a game to play and we've got to lock in because they have some good players up front."
The Browns have lost 13 games this season, and they have one game left on the schedule: this Saturday at 4:30 p.m., against the Baltimore Ravens on the road.
Bitonio said that is what he's focused on at the moment. He's not trying to think about his plans just yet outside of game planning for the season finale and getting his body right after game 160 in his career.
"So locked into the day-to-day and competing, trying to get a win, trying to help lead this team, that, like I said, I'm not even really thinking about the decision until I get some time in the offseason to talk to the family and everything," Bitonio said after the game.
But as he took those steps and waved at fans as he departed the home field Sunday, Bitonio took a little bit of reality into account. He may or may not return for the 2025 season. If he does, he'll proudly wear his orange and brown, appreciative of the fans.
"Every year you walk off the field the last time and it's like, we appreciate the fans and what they did for us and I love playing here," Bitonio said after the game. "But for me it's just such—it's a big decision, but right now, that's so macro when I'm worrying about so much more minor things."
If that was the last time Bitonio suited up in Cleveland, it was a remarkable career full of loyalty to the Browns and their fans.
All that's left to do is wait and see what he decides is best for him.
