When you imagine the act of signing for an NFL franchise the general feeling is that it would be a big deal. Loud, spectacular, attention hungry and a major ego massage for the signing player.

Maybe it is now, for some, but back in 1971 signing for the Chicago Bears was as spectacular an event as filing a tax return.

This terrific find is a 1971 letter from the Chicago Bears to an unnamed player who, it appears, has been offered a 3 year deal with the team. The player has to sign his yearly contracts individually and then return them to the director of player personnel at the club in order to receive his signing bonus. No fanfare here, just good solid postal communication and the promise of, presumably, modest riches to be passed on in due course.