Another Cleveland Browns player is headed for the Pro Bowl this coming Sunday, February 2,
Joel Bitonio, a 10 year veteran and starting guard for the Browns, was elevated from being an alternate to being in the games after Joe Thuney had to be replaced due to the Super Bowl. Bitonio has now made a Pro Bowl every year between 2018 and 2024, adding to a very decent list of accolades for the offensive lineman.
While it's unclear whether Bitonio plans on retiring anytime soon, it is clear that he still has something left in the tank given that he performed at a Pro Bowl level with the Browns this season despite their 3-14 record. The offensive line was pretty badly constructed this past season, but Bitonio was far from the reason why the line struggled.
Bitonio's selection marks 4th Browns player named to 2025 Pro Bowl
Bitonio is now the 4th Browns player to be participating in the Pro Bowl, which is set to take place the Sunday before the Super Bowl. Aside from him, Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and Jerry Jeudy were all named to the Pro Bowl when the original announcements were made by the league about selections.
Per the Browns' website and press release related to the selection, Bitonio now joins some elite company with his seventh selection in a row.
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"He ranks fourth in team history for most Pro Bowl selections, trailing on Pro Football Hall of Famers T Joe Thomas (10), RB Jim Brown (9) and T/K Lou Groza (9). Only Thomas, Brown and Bitonio have made seven consecutive Pro Bowls for the Browns."
Bitonio started all 17 games this past year, garnering a very good pass blocking grade of 70.2 from PFF. His overall grade of 63.9 ranked 53rd out of 135 eligible guards in the NFL.
Cleveland might have had a bad year, but they clearly have some great talent on their roster. And, all four Browns named to the Pro Bowl are signed with the team through at least 2025, so their talent hasn't gone to waste just yet. Hitting on a few key draft picks and being smart about free agency can allow all four of these players to get even more shine in 2025.
The Pro Bowl will be hosted in Orlando, Florida on Thursday, January 30 and Sunday, February 2. The game on Sunday will be a flag football game between the AFC and NFC, and Thursday's activities will be a mix of different skills challenges.