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Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Jayson Tatum is giving Celtics fans renewed hope

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 1:40 PM ET

When Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles tendon tear during the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Boston Celtics fans resigned themselves to a year without their star player. Achilles injuries typically have a long and arduous recovery process.

However, Tatum appears to be well ahead of schedule. Some of that could likely be attributed to him getting surgery within 24 hours of the injury, and some of it is likely due to the significant amount of work he's been putting in this summer.

During a Sept. 23 appearance on ESPN's First Take, Tatum hinted that he's aiming for a return in the 2025-26 season, assuming he's medically cleared to return to the court.

"I haven't said I'm not playing this season," Tatum said. "...I don't go to rehab six days a week for nothing. But with that being said, with being a part of the organization and the Celtics, there is a standard that we play to, that we uphold, regardless of who we have in the lineup, who's on the team, who's not, there's a sense of pride that we have when we put that uniform on, and we always are competing to win a championship, and that standard will not change."

"I don't go to rehab six days a week for nothing."

Jayson Tatum leaves the door open for a return this season pic.twitter.com/8o5UMxG1Dt
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 23, 2025

Tatum will undoubtedly be out until after the All-Star break. Being ahead of schedule doesn't mean he will be cleared at Christmas. He still needs time to let his body recover and heal so that a re-aggravation of his injury doesn't occur.

Boston Celtics have been pleased with Jayson Tatum's rehab

During a recent edition of the "Zolak and Bertrand" show on 98.5 The Sports Hub, the duo detailed how Boston's front office has been pleased with Tatum's commitment and work ethic since stepping up his rehab program.

"The Celtics are very happy with how hard Jayson Tatum has been working at his rehab, and his level of focus and intensity in the rehab process," Marc Bertrand said. "(Tatum) did not leave town. He has been here the entire time. … Since the injury, he has not left town, and he has been inside the building at the Celtics’ facility with their people and their team almost every single day for months."

Tatum has been posting snapshots of his recovery work to his Instagram story all summer. He's in the gym every day and is already moving around without a protective boot.

Jayson Tatum will still need time to ramp up to NBA fitness

If Tatum does return to the court this season, he won't magically be back at an All-NBA level. He will be legitimately short on conditioning and will need to ramp back up while getting back into rhythm on the court.

Furthermore, he'll need to adjust to new teammates throughout the roster, especially in the frontcourt. Boston won't be getting back an MVP candidate at first. It will take months of consistent game time for Tatum to return to that level.

Therefore, the upcoming season is still likely to be a tough one for Celtics fans. But if Tatum does return, at least it will provide a feel-good narrative and set the franchise up for a busy summer in 2026.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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