Before he rejoined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 and went on to lead maybe the most improbable, yet dominant Super Bowl run in recent NFL history, quarterback Nick Foles was down to just two teams as a free agent.

The second team, aside from the Eagles?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Cleveland Browns may or may not have tried trading for the Eagles' title-winning MVP after the hottest three-game stretch of his career, but back when Foles was more a journeyman backup than a fill-in hero, he got serious offers from only Philly and Tampa Bay, as revealed in his new book, "Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure and Overcoming the Odds."

"Both offers made it clear that they wanted me there to help improve the backup situation and mentor a young quarterback," Foles writes in the book. "In Philly, I'd be behind Carson Wentz ... in Tampa Bay, I'd be backing up Jameis Winston."

Ultimately, of course, Foles opted for the Eagles -- a decision he attributes not only to his familiarity from a first stint with the team but to the then-upcoming birth of his daughter, Lily, who benefited from the "strong foundation and support system" of the area Foles had previously occupied from 2012-14.

Nonetheless, it's interesting to note that the Bucs were one of just two teams "firmly in the running" for Foles after the veteran's one-year stop as a Kansas City Chiefs backup, especially considering Tampa Bay is now facing long-term quarterback questions and figures to be without Winston for at least the start of 2018. Bucs coach Dirk Koetter, now tasked with navigating Winston's suspension, was apparently one of Foles' biggest proponents, too, first recruiting him out of high school for Arizona State.