Music played as Brian Daboll, a ‘3’ affixed alongside the NY on his blue Giants cap, headed to the practice field and Giants players emerged from the Quest Diagnostics Center.

Footballs were tossed around and it seemed like a normal Wednesday, but this could not possibly be Any Given Wednesday.

This was Not Any Given Wednesday in East Rutherford, in Florham Park, and of course not in Orchard Park, or at any of the other 29 towns and cities that house NFL franchises.

The football players who risk limb and in some tragic cases life to play this game were starving for updates on Damar Hamlin, No. 3 on the Buffalo Bills, praying every bit as hard for the reports trickling in of slow progress from his traumatic cardiac arrest event.

The struggle to compartmentalize playing the violent game they love and the possibility that an unimaginable potential tragedy, even one as random and freakish as Hamlin’s, could take the field with them on Any Given Sunday — including this Sunday against the Eagles — was an uncomfortable reality that the Giants were visibly and internally wrestling with on Not Any Given Wednesday.

“I practiced through torn MCL, the flu, coming back COVID, a sprained ankle,” Nick McCloud said, “but I’d say this is probably the toughest one that I had to get through today for sure.”

McCloud, 24, played in the Bills’ secondary with Hamlin. He couldn’t get his friend out of his mind. “Nah, not at all, for real,” McCloud said.

There was no physical contact at practice as per usual on a Wednesday. There will be on Sunday. Giants players, especially the handful who played with Hamlin, will try not to think about him during a game in which if you don’t play your hardest, and against a rival looking to clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed, you are begging for injury.

Saquon Barkley was asked if he thought the Giants would be ready for contact and combat come 1 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

“It’s gonna be tough. … I think that’s actually a true conversation that really needs to be had,” Barkley said. “I know where I’m at mentally. But I think that’s be a really good thing as a captain and a leader of the team to bring the team together and ask that question. That didn’t cross my mind, really.”

Barkley is 25, a father of two young children. He was asked if he thought it might be better for the NFL to postpone the Week 18 slate of games for a week?

“That’s a great question,” Barkley said. “Me personally, that’s a conversation that I would have to have with my family. … That’s something I will probably have a better answer later on in the week, having to sit down and really reflect on that. It’s sad to say, but it’s the God honest truth, the only thing I’ve really done in this moment about the situation what happened was more like thinking about Damar and thinking about his family and thinking about those guys.

“I really haven’t even sat down myself and thinking like, ‘Wow, like I’m actually gonna take the field, too.’ ”

All this after Senior VP of Medical Services Ronnie Barnes and team sports psychologist Dr. Lani Lawrence and chaplain Gian Paul Gonzalez addressed the players and assured them that any and all resources they will ever need will be provided, be it during the week or on game day.

“It definitely makes you stop … just like whoa … it really puts you on notice,” Barkley said. “I didn’t even know that was possible to happen on a football field. Now that you see that, it’s just crazy.”

Julian Love, 24, is a newlywed. Don’t think that Hamlin hasn’t been at the forefront of some heartfelt family discussions this week as players and wives and parents try to navigate through a wide range of emotions.

“Sadness, anger, confusion, fear,” Love said.

Love married his high school sweetheart, Julia.

“She was almost trying to reassure me like it’s OK, this is a freak thing,” Love said.

Love met Hamlin in high school on the recruiting circuit and admired him.

“You go through waves,” Love said. “You try to put it away somewhere while you try to work.”

Sometimes you can’t put it away.

“I get sad … but you keep going,” Love said.

Backup quarterback Davis Webb, who turns 28 this month, played with Hamlin. He was watching the game with his girlfriend and her family. He immediately retreated to the bedroom after he saw something horrific he had never before seen.

“Damar was on the scout team with me his rookie year, ’cause we were playing safety together,” Webb said. “It’s scary. It sucks, no matter who it is, but it really sucks ’cause he’s an unbelievable human being. I know he is a strong individual, and if anyone can make it through, it’s Damar.”

Isaiah Hodgins, 24, played with Hamlin.

“We know that it’s a violent game. … Rarely does it cross your head like, ‘I’m not gonna be able to go home and see my family’ and stuff like that,” Hodgins said.

So they all prayed for Hamlin on Not Any Given Wednesday.

“You just have to find that mental block in your head to kinda like keep it within the lines at the moment and just try to keep pushing forward, but it’s tough, man,” Hodgins said. “I’m praying for him and hoping the best for him, and just hoping he pulls through.”

Damar Hamlin is 24. The Bills will dedicate their game against the Patriots to him. Every NFL team should. You can bet that the Giants will.