Former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Joel Bitonio gave his retirement speech Tuesday morning, and he started it with jokes.
Most retirement speeches express gratitude for players’ time in the league, appreciation for teammates and coaches along the way, and players’ love for the game. However, more often than not, the speeches include jokes about the players themselves or their teammates, and that’s exactly how Bitonio started his.
Joel Bitonio Jokes About Johnny Manziel in Opening Line of Browns Retirement Speech
Bitonio was drafted by the Browns in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, and he played all 12 years of his career in Cleveland. Johnny Manziel was the Browns’ first-round pick in the same year, and the two guys played two years together in Cleveland.
Manziel was always an incredible athlete, but his off-field issues hindered his ability to play football. The former Texas A&M star played just 14 games for the Browns before he was out of the NFL. He started just eight of the games and had a 2-6 record.
Bitonio, on the other hand, had a decade-long career, and the offensive guard took a jab at Manziel in the opening line of his retirement speech Tuesday.
“I was drafted the same year as Johnny Manziel. And we actually roomed together. I learned some things not to do from him,” Bitonio said with a smile across his face.
Then, the veteran guard named a few players who made a positive impact on him during his time in Cleveland, including Baker Mayfield, Christian Kirksey, David Njoku, and Nick Chubb.
#Browns G Joel Bitonio in his opening remarks announcing his retirement:
“I was drafted the same year as Johnny Manziel. And we actually roomed together. I learned some things NOT to do from him.” 😱😭 https://t.co/yjCDEhQ0d2 pic.twitter.com/QHeIeNcxgQ
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 9, 2026
“I got the opportunity to play with and learn from so many guys. I learned how to be egoless from Nick Chubb. I learned to always smile, like Christian Kirksey,” Bitonio said. “I learned to Chief-slam from David Njoku. I learned how to be fiery and competitive from Baker.”
Bitonio was a pillar of the Browns organization for the past decade. Cleveland didn’t win much during his tenure, but he stayed in the city that drafted him. The offensive guard made seven Pro Bowls and was a two-time first-team All-Pro.
Bitonio played in 178 career games and started every one. During his 12-year career, Bitonio played every game in all but three seasons, missing only 19 games. According to PFSN’s Player OL Impact Metric, in 2022, he finished as the highest-ranked player at his position with an impact score of 96.3.
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The Browns’ All-Pro only committed 13 holding penalties throughout his 12-year career and played an average of at least 10% of Cleveland’s special teams snaps each season.
There hasn’t been much success in the Browns organization over the last couple of decades, but Bitonio is certainly a bright spot.
