Damar Hamlin texts ‘Don’t go out there being fearful’ to the Eagles’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Apparently, there is no end to Damar Hamlin’s strength, or his power of inspiration.

He was still on his back Sunday, recovering in the hospital from his collapse and cardiac arrest on Monday Night Football. But he knew that C.J. Gardner-Johnson had missed the Eagles’ last five games with a lacerated kidney. He knew the fears Gardner-Johnson might be feeling before Sunday’s finale. He knew the attention his condition would get before games resumed Saturday and Sunday. He wanted Gardner-Johnson to play without fear, and told him so Sunday morning.

“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.’”

The two don’t have any real connection, Gardner-Johnson said. Still, he wanted to send his best to Hamlin, so he sent him a direct message on Instagram.

There is a brotherhood among safeties. CJGJ saw Hamlin go down, and he worried and he prayed, but he saw that Hamlin was back on social media by Saturday evening. They connected.

“I hit him up on the ‘Gram. Got his number. Locked him in,” Gardner-Johnson said.

Locking in was a bit harder for NFL players this weekend, including the Eagles, who beat the Giants, won the NFC East, and locked up the No. 1 overall seed. Their locker room was more subdued than it would have been after such a huge win. The sobering events of Monday night had an effect.

It’s like that every time a peer suffers a catastrophic injury, whether it’s Darryl Stingley in 1978 or Johnny Knox in 2011 (both with severe spinal injuries that ended their careers), or Detroit Lions receiver Chuck Hughes, who, in 1971, became the only NFL player to die on the field.

» READ MORE: Recalling former Eagle Chuck Hughes, the only NFL player to die on the field

Hamlin was very nearly the second.

In the first quarter last Monday in Cincinnati, he collided with receiver Tee Higgins to tackle him in the first quarter, took Higgins’ shoulder pad to his chest, got up, and collapsed. Medical staff arrived at his side within 10 seconds, administered CPR and used an AED, and not only saved his life but also limited the long-term damage and gave him his best chance of recovery.

Hamlin has shown marked signs of improvement over the last few days. Millions of dollars have been raised for charity in his name. In his absence, the affable, joyous, 24-year-old son of McKees Rocks, Pa., has been ubiquitous.

Players were asked questions about the incident all week. The NFL authorized tributes to Hamlin, including T-shirts that read “Love for Damar 3.” Teams were encouraged to outline the numeral “3,” Hamlin’s jersey number, on their 30-yard lines in Buffalo Bills blue or red. In the last week of the season, with no playoff scenarios locked down in either conference, Damar Hamlin was at the front of everyone’s mind.

» READ MORE: Miles Sanders FaceTimes with ‘best friend’ Damar Hamlin after emotional week

League veterans knew it was important that they address the elephant in the room. For the Eagles, Darius Slay took the floor Saturday night in front of the defense at the team’s practice facility and said:

“We’ve got to be thankful to be able to come out here and play this game. You never know when your last down’s going to be.”

That said, Slay wasn’t able to block out every thought of Hamlin. Giants cornerback Nick McCloud, a former Bills teammate of Hamlin’s, FaceTimed with Hamlin in the locker room before the game and flashed a “3″ sign twice Sunday, first after he recorded a sack, then after his team got an interception. After an interception against the Texans, Colts safety Rodney Thomas, a high school teammate of Hamlin’s, ran to the 30-yard line with some teammates and placed the ball on the “3.”

“It is a sad moment. It’s always tough to watch. I prayed before I went out there. I still tried to give it my all. That is a concern,” Slay said. He shrugged. “But that’s what I signed up for. We know this game comes with a lot of injuries.”

Slay’s heart was lightened when, as he prepared for the Eagles’ 4:25 p.m. kickoff, he saw Hamlin live-tweeting the Bills-Patriots game, which started at 1:05. When the Bills ran back the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Hamlin posted, “OMFG!”

“Yeah, I saw he was live-tweeting. I’m happy. He’s a good kid. I was praying for him,” Slay said. “Looking forward to seeing his progression.”

Gardner-Johnson said he was inspired, too. He played inspired. He logged seven tackles, his fourth-highest total in his 12 games this season. If anything, CJGJ played harder than ever.

“No hesitation. No, sir. Not in my game,” Gardner-Johnson said. ”Not in my game.”

No hesitation. No fear. No sir.

No doubt, he made Damar Hamlin proud.