A Marcus Hayes story you’ll want to read! Can you believe it? I sure can’t.

On Sunday, Damar Hamlin, who has now been released from the hospital, texted C.J. Gardner-Johnson before his first game back with the Eagles after lacerating his kidney:

“Damar texted me, actually,” Gardner-Johnson told me Sunday night, pointing at one of the smartphones on the bench in his locker. It was opened to a text message, and, as he put the phone in his duffel bag, he nodded to it. “Basically, he just told me, ‘Don’t go out there being fearful. That [stuff] can happen to anybody. It’s football. You know how that goes.’”

Crazy the mindset you have to have to play in the NFL. CJGJ got hit so hard he sustained an injury typically seen in car crashes. Could you imagine wanting to drive a car this soon, let alone play in a football game? Mix that with what you saw last Monday, knowing it can all be taken away from you at a moment’s notice. Now don’t get me wrong, the money and perks are obviously good. It’s not like these dudes are playing for peanuts or out on the battlefield. But in the back of your mind, whether you’re the $50 million QB or on the fringe of the roster, every player in that locker room has the same thought cross through their mind before game time.

Imagine having to live with that mentality every day at your 9 to 5. You walk into work and wonder if this is going to be your last spreadsheet or meeting ever. Unless Terry Tate Office Linebacker is your co-worker, you’re probably gonna be fine.

The tributes for Damar Hamlin from Eagles players and fans were amazing:


Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports