CLEVELAND — As the Cleveland Browns' 2022 season nears its end, a couple of players have been honored by the local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).
On Thursday, the Browns announced that left guard Joel Bitonio has been voted the Joe Thomas Award winner, which is presented annually to the team's MVP. Meanwhile, quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been named the winner of the Dino Lucarelli ‘Good Guy Award,' which is given annually to a player for his cooperation with the media and for the way the player carries himself in the community and with his teammates.
The longest-tenured member of the Browns' roster, this marks the first year that Bitonio has won the award named after his former teammate on Cleveland's offensive line. Playing every offensive snap for the Browns this season, the 9th-year pro earned his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection while helping pave the way for Cleveland to rank sixth in the NFL in rushing, in addition to grading as Pro Football Focus' No. 2 overall guard.
As for Brissett, the Browns signed the veteran quarterback shortly after acquiring Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans. With Watson serving an 11-game suspension as a result of violations of the league's Personal Conduct Policy to open the season, Brissett assumed the role of Cleveland's starter and performed admirably, completing 64 percent of his pass attempts for 2,608 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions, leading the Browns to a 4-7 record in that span.
A full list of the Browns' previous local PFWA award winners can be found below.
Cleveland Browns PFWA Joe Thomas Award - Player of the Year Winners:
- 2001 LB Jamir Miller
- 2002 RB William Green
- 2003 LB Andra Davis
- 2004 SS Robert Griffith
- 2005 RB Reuben Droughns
- 2006 LB Kamerion Wimbley
- 2007 QB Derek Anderson
- 2008 DL Shaun Rogers
- 2009 KR Joshua Cribbs
- 2010 RB Peyton Hillis
- 2011 LB D’Qwell Jackson
- 2012 K Phil Dawson
- 2013 WR Josh Gordon
- 2014 OL Joe Thomas
- 2015 TE Gary Barnidge
- 2016 OL Joe Thomas
- 2017 RB Duke Johnson Jr.
- 2018 QB Baker Mayfield
- 2019 RB Nick Chubb
- 2020 DE Myles Garrett
- 2021 DE Myles Garrett
- 2022 OL Joel Bitonio
Cleveland Browns PFWA Dino Lucarelli ‘Good Guy Award’ Winners:
- 2001 QB Tim Couch
- 2002 DB Corey Fuller
- 2003 OL Shaun O’Hara
- 2004 DB Daylon McCutcheon
- 2005 OL Jeff Faine
- 2006 DB Brian Russell
- 2007 K Phil Dawson
- 2008 DB Brandon McDonald
- 2009 LB David Bowens
- 2010 OL Joe Thomas
- 2011 DB Mike Adams
- 2012 LB D’Qwell Jackson
- 2013 OL Joe Thomas
- 2014 QB Brian Hoyer
- 2015 QB Josh McCown
- 2016 LB Christian Kirksey
- 2017 OL Joel Bitonio
- 2018 OL Joel Bitonio
- 2019 DL Sheldon Richardson
- 2020 DL Larry Ogunjobi
- 2021 OL Joel Bitonio and DE Myles Garrett
- 2022 QB Jacoby Brissett
