Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio has built a Hall of Fame-caliber resume, but one analyst believes a surprising factor could hurt his chances of induction.

In a recent episode of Orange and Brown Talk, analyst and host Dan Labbe questioned whether Bitonio's lack of playoff exposure could become an obstacle to his Hall of Fame candidacy.

“I don’t know [if Joel Bitonio will get in the Hall of Fame], just because he never played a bunch of playoff games and the Browns weren’t on national TV," Labbe said. “I just wonder if that’s going to hurt his candidacy.”

As Cleveland.com noted, Hall of Fame voting is often influenced as much by visibility as by performance. Players who appear regularly in the playoffs and on prime-time broadcasts tend to stay fresh in voters' minds, while standout performers on struggling teams can go largely unnoticed.

Joel Bitonio spent much of his career on Browns teams that rarely played in the postseason or on prime-time broadcasts, which could make his accomplishments less visible to Hall of Fame voters.

The Browns selected Bitonio in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Since then, the veteran guard has been one of the NFL's most consistent offensive linemen. 

Bitonio has earned seven Pro Bowl selections and two First-Team All-Pro honors. He has also started more than 170 games for the Browns.

During the discussion, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot argued that Bitonio's résumé stacks up well against that of several offensive linemen who have already earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"I think he's got a really good chance," Cabot said. "When you start stacking up the All-Pros and Pro Bowls, that's usually what gets offensive linemen into the Hall of Fame."

For now, Bitonio's Hall of Fame remains a talking point, but one Browns legend has already made a strong remark on the ongoing debate. 

Joe Thomas Makes Strong Case for Bitonio's Hall of Fame Future

Browns Hall of Famer Joe Thomas has endorsed his former teammate for Canton. 

In an interview with Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, Thomas did not hesitate when discussing Bitonio's resume.

“It's just such an impressive feather in his cap that he was able to play such a long and proud, amazing career with one team,” Thomas said. “And forever he'll be linked with the Cleveland Browns, with that orange helmet, and we'll always be able to know that Joel Bitonio was one of ours.”

Thomas also sees Bitonio as a legitimate Hall of Fame candidate, but he believes the Browns guard may be hurt by circumstances that were largely beyond his control throughout his career.

“I think he [Bitonio] has a really great case,” Thomas said. “He didn't often get the postseason accolades he deserved, especially earlier on. So he doesn't have 10 Pro Bowls, 11 Pro Bowls, eight All-Pros, like some of those other guards that are going to be up for the Hall of Fame."

Bitonio's Hall of Fame resume is strong, but Labbe believes Cleveland's lack of playoff success could hurt his case.

What do you think about Joel Bitonio's Hall of Fame candidacy? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Evince Das

Edited by

Rudra Dubey