When I watched Baker keep the football and run around the right end for the first down, clinching the playoffs and beating the Steelers, all I could think at first was that we had finally made it. I'd worked hard my whole career and hadn't made the playoffs; but that moment a team-oriented, surreal moment made it worth it.

It was also a moment in my head that I thought, "Man, it'd be really special to finish my career here in Cleveland."

At the time, I was in my seventh NFL season and had just reached my first playoff game that taste of winning was unlike anything I had ever experienced. We had fought through losing seasons and risen to this moment with the brotherhood we'd built in the locker room. Retirement wasn't on my radar.

Truthfully, as time passed and my career kept going, there was never a point where I could envision myself in a different uniform. Wearing that orange helmet and being part of this franchise from getting drafted to signing three contracts I felt a loyalty to the Browns, and it gave me a sense of pride to represent a fan base who is consistently loyal to us. I started the job here, and once I got to a certain point, I knew I wanted to finish the job in Cleveland.

Now that job is finished. After 12 seasons of wearing No. 75 in brown and orange, I have officially decided to retire.

I remember during my rookie season we were in the meeting room, and someone mentioned Joe Thomas had never missed a snap in eight seasons. That notion blew me away. Then Alex Mack, who was in his sixth season, said he had also not missed a snap. Mitchell Schwartz piped up and added he hadn't missed a snap in his first two seasons.

And that set the standard for me. You're an NFL offensive lineman; you come in, you play when you can play, you don't miss any snaps. So I made that my mindset.

My rookie season, I started every game and played every snap. But after missing some games my second and third years due to injuries, I wondered what was next for me. But then Sashi Brown extended me after my third year, and I told myself, "I'm going to do everything in my power to play."

And then from that moment on, it was seven full seasons. I always thought if I'm healthy enough to be out there, I'm going to play. And that was the mindset that I had taken from the older guys around me in my early years.

I also played next to J.C. Tretter beginning in 2017, and when he got signed here, he never missed a snap for the Browns. So we were kind of relying on each other no matter what happens, we're out there together.

I played 6,481 consecutive offensive plays beginning from the 2017 season and lasting through the 2023 season. 102 consecutive starts. 178 total starts over the course of my career.

Play to play, down to down, I thought, "I have to finish this thing. I started, and I want to be out there for my guys." And a little bit of it was wanting to set a precedent in case someone was looking up to me. I know what it meant to see Joe Thomas and Alex Mack out there, and hopefully one of these young guys saw me and thought, "That's how you play the game."

This season, when I passed Joe for the most starts since 1999, that was a really special moment in my career. I knew how tough he was and what he went through to play all those games. While I wasn't able to do it all consecutively, I was always out there trying to live up to the standard that he set of toughness, being there for your teammates when maybe no one else was, and showing up every week ready to play regardless of what the scoreboard said.

Before the 2025 season began, I knew if I played a certain number of games, I would surpass Joe. But as the season got underway, it wasn't on my mind until that week. I took the field in Week 7 against the Dolphins for my 168th start and saw the announcement on the scoreboard celebrating the accomplishment. But the moment it began to sink in was in the locker room following the win.

After the game when Coach Stefanski gave me a game ball and announced that I had the most starts since the team came back in '99 and was in the top 10 of most starts in Browns' history, I just thought about all of the players that have played here. Guys like Otto Graham, Jim Brown and all the linemen that came before me to be in that top 10 group with them made me realize just how incredible it was. In the moment it's hard, but when you look back on it, it's pretty dang special.

I worked each day to show up as the same guy and to always be there for my teammates no matter the circumstances.

Serving as a captain six times fueled that mentality. It's one of the coolest honors in the NFL to earn the respect of your brothers and for them to say, "We want this guy to represent us out there on the field." Wearing the "C" on my chest, I wanted to always do what was right and hold up my end of the bargain.

I never took it for granted. Every year when the captains were announced, it was special. I always took a moment to take it all in. I wanted to lead the guys the right way and make them proud of their decision.

None of what I accomplished on the field would have been possible without the support of my wife, Courtney, my kids and my parents.

Courtney saw the day-to-day of the toll the sport takes on the body. She has been there to take care of me through injuries and to be a shoulder to lean on. The sacrifices she's made and her just being my biggest fan are such a huge part of my career. It feels like she was the heartbeat of it all.

To my kids Zoey, Benny and Ada they constantly helped remind me that when I came home, I was just "Dad." That really refreshed me and gave me a little bit of perspective on what's truly important in life.

The sacrifices again, I use that word a lot that my mom made going to travel basketball tournaments, taking me to practice three days a week, and going and supporting me at the games, are really unmatched. As a kid, you don't realize how expensive those things are and how much free time your parents lose by doing it. But it was just unconditional love.

And my dad who passed away before I played college football and was never able to see me play in college or the NFL he had this unwavering belief in me before I even knew what I wanted. He just pushed hard work. He would say, "You can outwork anybody. You don't have to be the most talented person, but you can outwork anybody." That was his thing, "Why not you?" And he would set these goals for me that I wanted but didn't know I could achieve. Instilling that in me and pushing me when I needed it, the hard work aspect of it, was such a huge part of my success. He may not have ever gotten to see me play at the next level, but he was always a part of the journey.

Being embedded in the community around Cleveland and Northeast Ohio will always hold a special place in my life.

The second you get to Cleveland, the community embraces you and it's truly one of the coolest things. From a young age, my parents always talked about giving back when we could and how we could help. With the platform that I was given through the Browns and Browns Give Back, I was able to do just that.

Watching Joe Thomas, Alex Mack and other guys that I looked up to going out into the community and giving back, I was able to watch and learn from them. Stay in the Game! school visits, Joe Thomas' "Shop with a Pro event and the food bank during Thanksgiving all started to become an integral part of my giving back to the community.

There are so many ways to get involved, and because my mom is a teacher and I know just how important they are to the kids, it was always a goal of mine to help them. At the beginning of the school year for the last couple of years, we've done a backpack giveaway to help give the kids the supplies they need. It's a way to help the teachers but also get the kids excited for school.

When Joe retired and I was asked to continue "Shop with a Pro," it was a no-brainer. We'd give the kids money to spend on themselves and a lot of the time they would end up getting something for their family member instead. It made it really heart-warming to see the goodness of their hearts.

Being involved with these organizations and being able to brighten kids' days was easy work in the grand scheme of things.

I remember the day I walked into CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for the first time following the draft. I was so excited.

I hadn't visited Cleveland during the pre-draft process, and after being selected in the second round, I wanted to show everyone they were right in choosing the West Coast kid. We jumped right into minicamp and then offseason workouts, and I felt like I was in great shape. I wanted to be ready.

As we went through the first day of OTAs, they told me they were going to rotate me in with the first team at left guard alongside Joe and Alex. My first thought was, "Don't go the wrong way and hurt one of these guys. They're trying to prepare, just listen to what they say." That was probably one of the most fortunate things in my career being able to play between those two guys for my first two years of my career.

Heading into the 2025 season, I was fairly confident it would be my last. As the season winded down, we beat Pittsburgh in Week 17 at home and then went on the road to Cincinnati in Week 18 and beat them with a walk-off field goal. It felt like the best-case scenario. My family, agent, financial advisor and former teammates John Greco and J.C. Tretter all had traveled down to Cincinnati to be there for what I believed would be my last game.

I walked out onto the field at Paycor Stadium pregame to take a look around, saw my family on the sideline and thought to myself, "Do it right one more time." When we won the game on a walk-off field goal, I found my family in the stands and pointed to them, and it just felt right. It was a moment that I wanted to remember. I had played so many games, with so many defining moments, but there are certain ones that I'll remember forever, and that will definitely be one of them.

After the 2025 season came to an end, I was still pretty set on the fact that I was retiring, but I was still going to the facility to rehab. I was contemplating my decision, thinking about how I have been playing football for 23 years of my life including 12 in the NFL. But there was never a need to rush the decision.

The Browns and AB were very understanding. They acknowledged what I had done for the team and understood it was a tough decision, and they assured me that they would be there when I was ready to discuss. And that's why we extended our void date on our contract. We were giving it time, and I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. By the time free agency started, me and AB had already had the discussion, and I told him I am most likely retiring here.

When I looked at my career and all that I had achieved the All-Pros, Pro Bowls, snap streaks and playoff appearances there was only one thing left that I still hoped to accomplish: a Super Bowl. A small part of me thought about wanting to chase that dream, but at the end of the day, my heart was set on being a Cleveland Brown for life. This city was where my NFL career was supposed to start and finish. For that dream to be a reality, I could not be more grateful.

To the city of Cleveland, our loyal fanbase, the Haslam family and the entire Browns organization, thank you. Thank you for 12 years of unwavering support and unforgettable memories.