On Friday, Chargers linebacker Donald Butler announced via Twitter that he has signed a new contract with the team. More than 24 hours later, the only available detail is that it’s a multi-year deal.
There have been no reports about the money to be paid. No information about base value, annual rate, signing bonus, guaranteed money. Nothing.
Teams and agents recognize a 24-hour rule when it comes to news of player contracts. If the terms aren’t leaked within 24 hours after the contract emerges, the terms aren’t worth bragging about.
In this case, the terms may not emerge until the contract is officially filed with the NFL and NFLPA. By then, the media likely will have moved on to other things, with no one pointing out that maybe Butler didn’t get the kind of contract he was hoping to obtain.
In fairness to Butler, there’s also a chance Butler simply doesn’t want his financial information to be publicized. Some players realize that nothing good comes from having friends and family members know too much about how much a guy is making, because then folks will start to show up to pat the player on the back with one hand while extending the other palm, flat and open and empty.