Jayson Tatum teases return with "The Quiet Work" docuseries trailer

Jayson Tatum continued to make headlines this past All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles even without having to show up, as the subject of conversation in the wake of a potential return from a torn Achilles could be happening sooner rather than later -- according to many.

While current and former NBA stars weighed in on if Tatum is closer to re-joining the Celtics this season or not, it also didn't help speculations much when a trailer for a five-part docuseries appropriately titled "The Quiet Work" was promoted in a commercial during Sunday's All-Star game on NBC -- which chronicles Tatum's return from his Achilles injury sustained against the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

"The only thing worse than not being able to walk is coming back and not being Jayson Tatum," Tatum says in the docuseries trailer.

In a social media post Tuesday morning, Tatum acknowledged that it was the 40-week mark since successful surgery that repaired his torn Achilles and the rehab process began -- which has been reported that the Celtics star by all accounts is "ahead of schedule" when it comes to the average recovery timeline from said injury.

40 weeks🙏🏽
I’ve really grown to appreciate this journey I’ve been on and allow time for me to pat myself on the back for showing up everyday!

— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) February 17, 2026

A week ago, when Tatum spoke to the media for the first time since October following a practice session with the G League affiliate Maine Celtics at the Auerbach Center and despite two-way guard Ron Harper Jr. saying, "He looked like Jayson Tatum. I'll say that much" and the team was "excited to see him progress during his rehab," Tatum himself downplayed that him playing five-on-five was nothing more than the "next step" in his rehab process.

"It was the next step," Tatum told reporters. "It doesn't mean that I'm coming back or I'm not. It's just following the plan. So it's just another step."

Longtime C's insider Steve Bulpett caused some waves, this past Friday, with a social media post reporting how NBC flexed Celtics-Sixers from a 6 pm ET start to primetime on March 1, which is a home game at TD Garden. Despite Tatum not saying if he'll return or not after playing five-on-five recently, of course fans assumed the change of a game on a national TV broadcast meant a possible return date for the All-Star, even if the original matchup was the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Dallas Mavericks, who will be without rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg due to a foot sprain for the immediate future.

Still, with this five-part docuseries that NBC will air each episode beginning on February 22 when the Celtics face the Lakers in L.A. and every Sunday night in between games until March 22 -- when the final episode will be shown, the same day the Celtics are scheduled to host the Minnesota Timberwolves -- could that be when Tatum actually makes his long-awaited return? 

It's really anyone's guess.

Ultimately, what will be interesting the next few weeks as ticket prices, if they haven't already, start to go up as fans try their best with an educated estimate of when Tatum makes his return, especially once the docuseries episodes start to air and more reports come to fruition on how the Celtics star looks as he continues to take even more "steps" in the rehab process.

Joel Pavón

Follow @Joe1_CSP



Photo used courtesy of The Associated Press