Browns Vet Joel Bitonio Sends Strong Message on Needed Improvement

The Cleveland Browns’ struggles aren’t limited to the field. Off it, they continue to lag behind most of the NFL in some key areas.

Cleveland ranked 30th in the annual NFLPA report card, which evaluated facilities for all 32 teams based on a survey of more than 1,500 active players. The Browns graded particularly poorly in several areas, including the treatment of players’ families.

While surveys were conducted anonymously, one prominent Browns player put his name to print.

Left guard Joel Bitonio, the team’s longest tenured member, told ESPN that there hasn’t “been improvements as far as families go.”

“I think it’s almost like a logistical thing in our stadium,” Bitonio said. “There’s teams like the Raiders, the Vikings, the Cowboys, they will have dedicated areas where after the game, you can meet up with your family, your friends. They have meals for them inside the stadium, where we’re kind of across the street in the parking lot.”

Why Did the Browns Rate So Poorly?

The Browns scored a D-plus for their treatment of players’ families, the fifth-worst grade in the league.

The report card noted that “players believe that the coaches’ families are treated better than the players’ families.” Coaches have a designated postgame meeting spot inside Huntington Bank Field, while the players’ families meet in a tent in the parking lot.

“It gets cold in Cleveland and there’s a little tent there where you can meet up with them for five minutes,” Bitonio explained. “But it’s kind of a thrown-together segment. I think the players just wanted something (with) a little more space and a little more time.”

The Browns have solicited feedback from players on how to improve the accommodations for families on their proposed $2.4 billion domed stadium in the Cleveland suburb of Brookpark, as the current postgame family area graded next to last in the league.

Browns’ Weight Room Scores High Marks

Another area of concern from Browns players was the team’s training staff. It received a C-minus grade but ranked dead last among the 32 teams.

According to the Report Card, only 69% of the team’s players believe they receive sufficient one-on-one treatment.

The locker room also remained an issue, with over 70% of players saying it is too small. The F- grade was 31st in the league.

Conversely, Cleveland’s newly renovated weight room earned an A grade, eighth in the league.

Compared to last year, the team’s overall grade dropped seven spots from No. 23.

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