One of the most difficult challenges every professional athlete faces is when to leave the game. Some athletes damage their long-term health and tarnish their reputation and legacy by playing too long. Cleveland Browns veteran guard Joel Bitonio could become the latest athlete who may regret his decision.
Bitonio, a former second-round pick from the University of Nevada in 2014, has played his entire career with the Browns. He spoke with Barry Shuck of Dawgs By Nature about his decision to return for the upcoming 2025 season.
During the interview, Bitonio admitted he considered retirement out of frustration after the Browns finished 3-14 in 2024 following an 11-6 season and a playoff appearance in 2023.
"It was tough. I did give consideration to retiring. I was frustrated. Now, I don’t know if I would have the same conversation if we had gone to the playoffs again, and maybe were a 10-win team. But after having a successful year, followed by losing 14 was difficult. I questioned why I was playing this game. What am I doing here? The fact that we had a terrible season was not what I was expecting. I sat back and waited for a little bit. I talked to Stefanski, then they brought in (Mike) Bloomgren and advanced Tommy Rees. He said they were going to draft a quarterback and make all these moves. I wanted to go out on a higher note than what we experienced last year."
Joel Bitonio may regret his decision to return to Browns this season
Understandably, he did not want to retire after losing 14 games. The Browns have lost plenty of games in his tenure, but they have also embarrassed themselves off the field. Owner Jimmy Haslam was investigated, while quarterback DeShawn Watson was acquired despite accusations of sexual misconduct that tarnished the reputation of the Browns organization.
Unfortunately, the 2025 Browns find themselves in no better spot than last year. They are still searching for a quarterback as Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and two rookies, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, are competing for the starting job. There is a strong possibility that multiple quarterbacks will play due to injuries or being benched. It is not an ideal situation for Bitonio and his fellow offensive linemen.
Also, the 2025 schedule makes it difficult to be optimistic about the Browns. Some of the teams the Browns will face with winning records in 2024 include all three AFC North rivals (Bengals, Ravens, Steelers), and the NFC North teams (Vikings, Lions, Packers). Bitonio might end up regretting his decision to return, as another 3-14 season is not out of the question.