Jayson Tatum on What a Physical Injury Taught Him About Mental Health

Jayson Tatum was sidelined by a serious injury, and it forced the Boston Celtics superstar to look within himself for a different kind of strength. Tatum recently talked to Men’s Health about that recovery process, and he revealed that his ruptured Achilles tendon led to him tapping into inner strength and emotional fortitude to get himself back on the court. 

That injury happened in May of 2025, during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks. The Celtics would eventually lose to the Knicks in six games, as Tatum focused on rehab. He moved in with his mother, Brandy, and lived with her for ten weeks post-injury when he couldn’t walk up and down steps.

“I realized that I was stronger than I thought I was,” Tatum says. “Initially, I had a lot of doubt. Candidly, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go through rehab. But I just tried to put my best foot forward every day and show up.”

The process, he says, also taught him not to be afraid to test himself. 

“You’d be surprised at what your body can respond well to and handle,” he says. Recovery modalities continue to evolve, and he embraced that part of the process. He watched movies, surrounded himself with family and friends, and tried different ways to distract his mind from what he was physically going through.

Tatum returned from his injury in a March 6 game against the Dallas Mavericks — one of the most highly anticipated games of the season. Now he says he’s taking his time as he gets reacclimated to playing. 

”I’m just taking it day-by-day,” he tells Celtics Blog. “I had probably the worst injury you can have. I came back in 10 months and am getting better, [I have a] better feel each game. I want it to be perfect — First Team All-NBA Jayson, like that,” he said, snapping his finger. “I didn’t rush the rehab, so I can’t rush this. It’s all going to work out.”