As quickly as an athlete can experience the highs resembling the top of the world, the agony of defeat is not far to follow. Jayson Tatum’s defeat came in a form that he couldn’t have ever imagined. In the final minutes of Game 4 between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles injury.
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Historically, this has been an injury which is very detrimental to an athlete’s career, but there have been cases of those who persevere. New York Jets star Aaron Rodgers may have a thing or two to teach Tatum regarding the recovery process.
Recovery from an Achilles injury is a long and tedious process. Typically, it takes roughly nine months before an athlete can return to full strength. The Celtics reported that Tatum had undergone surgery for his Achilles injury the same day, but they haven’t released an official timeline for Tatum. However, there is an inkling of when Tatum may return.
NBA insider Marc Spears reportedly spoke with Tatum’s father, Justin, following the injury. He revealed on ESPN’s NBA Today that Justin expects Tatum to miss “8-9 months.”
This is the first major injury Tatum has experienced since playing basketball. It isn’t easy to go through this gruelling process. Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant suffered the same injury as Tatum in 2019 with the Golden State Warriors. He sought guidance from Rudy Gay, who recovered from an Achilles injury, on how to go about recovery.
It will be imperative for Tatum to seek figures who can help maximize his abilities to return to the court. Although Rodgers isn’t an NBA player, the one-time Super Bowl champion returned from an Achilles injury and was back practicing in an unprecedented 77 days. His secret to achieving the unfathomable could be of significant help to Tatum.
Rodgers relied on hard work to overcome the odds. In an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Rodgers went in-depth regarding what he did to make his remarkable recovery.
“I really attacked rehab the first few months,” Rodgers revealed. “I had a great surgeon who did a newer process.”
The process which Rodgers is referring to is considered a “speed bridge” procedure. Essentially, the process anchors the sutures through the tendon back into the heel. It allows a significantly quicker return to applying pressure on one’s feet.
Many people didn’t have faith that Rodgers would return at all from his injury. He was 40 years old when he suffered the injury. On the other hand, Tatum is only 27. He has a great health history, which points in the direction of him possibly being able to make a similar return.
The difference between the two is the requirement of their positions. Rodgers revealed he couldn’t make a full sprint. As a quarterback, there isn’t a requirement to run often. That is far from the case for basketball, where running is crucial.
There certainly is a possibility that Tatum can make an accelerated return. It just may not be at the same degree as what Rodgers was able to. Even if Tatum takes almost double the time Rodgers did, it still would be months lower than what his father and the NBA pundits estimate. We’ll have to wait and see what approach Tatum and his medical staff take.
