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Browns Stud's Offseason Streak Was Just Saved at Last Minute

Cleveland Browns OG Joel Bitonio's Pro Bowl streak was officially extended on Monday, marking his seventh consecutive appearance at the event.

By Devon Platana

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks on during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks on during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Now that this year's Super Bowl matchup is official, NFL fans across the country are free to focus on this weekend's Pro Bowl. Cleveland Browns fans have a handful of reasons to tune into the annual spectacle as Jerry Jeudy, Myles Garrett, and Denzel Ward were all named to the AFC's roster at the beginning of the month.

One Brown who fans wanted to see named to the roster is offensive guard Joel Bitonio. The veteran blocker was named to the last six Pro Bowl rosters and the Cleveland fanbase was worried that his impressive streak was finally ending this offseason.

Fortunately, that isn't the case anymore.

Browns News: Joel Bitonio Named to AFC Pro Bowl Roster

On Monday afternoon, the Browns announced that Bitonio has officially been named to the 2025 Pro Bowl. The former Nevada product will be replacing Kansas City Chiefs guard Joe Thuney, who apparently has some a major obligation (Super Bowl LIX) to prepare for.

Bitonio's latest accomplishment has bumped him up to the fourth-most consecutive Pro Bowl nods in Browns history. The previous trio to do so — offensive tackle Joe Thomas (10), running back Jim Brown (9), and OT/kicker Lou Groza (9) — each ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame by the time their respective careers ended.

Bitonio, 33, was a consistent part of Cleveland's offensive line, suiting up in every game for the seventh time since 2017. Having said that, his Pro Football Focus grades for run blocking (59.6), pass blocking (70.2), and overall offense (63.9) were slightly down compared to last year's performance (60.8, 71.0, and 67.9).

Time will tell if Bitonio is still good enough to bounce back from that performance next season. The San Pedro, CA native is set to carry a $14.3 million cap hit in 2025 before hitting free agency in 2026. If he doesn't intend to sign a new deal, it won't be long before retirement discussions pop up.

For now, Browns supporters can focus on watching the fan-favorite quartet in Orlando this weekend. Sunday's Pro Bowl action can be viewed at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN+.

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