The Eagles considered a Nick Foles reunion this offseason. Here’s why it didn’t happen.

There aren’t many players in this city, past or present, more beloved than former Eagles quarterback Nick Foles — and for good reason. Not only is Foles one of the “good guys,” a player whose personality makes him infinitely likable, but he also just happens to be the architect of one of the greatest moments in Philly sports history and the only Eagles QB ever to win a Super Bowl.

So perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that the Birds once again considered signing the 33-year-old Foles this offseason as a backup behind third-year quarterback Jalen Hurts before the veteran reportedly signed with Frank Reich and the Colts. The Eagles’ interest in Foles, who was drafted by the Eagles in 2012 and spent five of his 10 NFL seasons in Philly, was first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

That initial report was later confirmed by The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, who added that Philly was only ever a real possibility if the team had moved on from last year’s backup, Gardner Minshew.

As McLane alluded to, there was also another consideration in bringing back Foles aside from the fact that Minshew is still on the roster — how Foles’ presence would impact the development of Hurts.

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There’s no reason to believe Foles would be anything other than a mentor to Hurts. But there’s nothing he can do to change the perception from the outside. And more than most, Philadelphia is sensitive to the backup quarterback situation given the dynamic that played out first between Foles and Carson Wentz and later between Hurts and Wentz, as the latter lost his grip on the starting job to both of his backups (for different reasons) and ultimately demanded a trade out of town.

Eagles fans are also not shy about drumming up a QB controversy the minute a starter begins to slip up. It’s hard to go back and identify the last quarterback who wasn’t eventually part of one, whether it was as the struggling starter or the hopeful backup. That’s why, if the Eagles are serious about developing Hurts, they’d be smart to avoid anything that resembles a quarterback controversy with their young starter. Heck, there was even a mini dustup last season with Minshew as the backup. And no offense to Minshew Mania, but it has nothing on Foles Fever.

So even though he has struggled since leaving the Eagles — and even though the Eagles have committed to Hurts through the year — the simple fact that the lasting memory of Foles for most Philadelphians is him hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, it’s safe to say bringing him back would result in an instant QB controversy.

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