Joel Bitonio transcends greatness on the football field.
Does the longtime Browns offensive lineman who announced his retirement on Tuesday, June 9, have a legitimate case to eventually be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
The answer is yes.
But Bitonio’s Canton-worthy resume has been chronicled for years, and discussions limited to his performance in the trenches miss the full scope of his legacy.
The 34-year-old Bitonio has represented the Browns on and off the field with the highest degree of grace and professionalism since he arrived in Cleveland as a second-round draft pick (No. 35 overall) out of the University of Nevada in 2014. There is no doubt he will continue to do so in retirement.
The Browns should celebrate Bitonio accordingly by naming the trusty left guard an honorary ambassador for the franchise.
There are Browns icons who hold ambassador roles in unofficial capacities, but the list is shorter than you might think. Among those who immediately come to mind are Bernie Kosar, Doug Dieken, Hanford Dixon, Josh Cribbs and Joe Thomas.
The Browns ought to formalize the distinction with Bitonio, a native of Long Beach, California.
Hey, Browns. Don’t just tell everyone Bitonio was a great player and a better person. Reward him in a meaningful way for the exceptional combination he embodies. Invite him to interact with a die-hard fan base during a few events a year. Ask him to mentor O-linemen. Make him a lifelong member of the Browns because he deserves much more than the typical send-off.
People often dwell on negativity and consume it at an alarming rate, complaining all the while about its stranglehold on society.
Bitonio’s story is the antithesis of negative. He was an elite player, teammate and leader for the Browns. His family speaks glowingly about him as a father, husband and son. He is caring, respectful and kind. He strived to connect with Browns employees, the media members who cover the team and its fans.
In Bitonio’s 12 NFL seasons, he made the Pro Bowl seven times (2018-24), trailing only Thomas (10), Jim Brown (nine) and Lou Groza (nine) for the most in club history. Thomas, Brown and Groza are enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
Bitonio was voted first-team Associated Press All-Pro twice (2021-22) and second-team All-Pro three times (2018-20). Whenever the Browns needed him to move from left guard to left tackle in a pinch, he more than held his own.
Bitonio overcame ankle and foot injuries early in his career to establish a reputation as an iron man. He played 178 career regular-season games, placing ninth in franchise history. He logged two playoff games. In a heartbreaking twist, he sat out the only postseason win of the expansion era — Cleveland’s wild-card triumph at Pittsburgh on Jan. 10, 2021 — because he had COVID-19.
Bitonio had been the longest-tenured Browns player for many years. His contract voided on March 11, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America chose Bitonio as the winner of the PFWA Dino Lucarelli “Good Guy Award” six times. No other Browns player has received the honor more than twice. The award is given each year to a player for his cooperation with media and for the way he comports himself in the community and with his teammates. Bitonio was a finalist for the national award this year.
Bitonio was also named the 2022 Browns Walter Payton Man of the Year. In 2018 and 2023, he received the team’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
Many parents hope their children can cheer for professional athletes who are trustworthy role models. Unfortunately, they can be difficult to identify.
For more than a decade, Bitonio gave Browns loyalists someone they could embrace with pride and without worry.
The team would be wise to keep the relationship intact for years to come by granting Bitonio an official title.
Welcome to retirement, ambassador. And congratulations on a legendary career.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: As Joel Bitonio retires, Browns should offer him special role. Opinion
Reporting by Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
