The NFL offseason is upon us, and as most people have their sights set on the 2026 NFL Draft, there are still plenty of storylines involving current stars around the league. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones is one such player, as he recently inked a new contract and is recovering from a torn Achilles.
Jones was having a great season for the Colts before suffering the injury in December. Now, he has a long recovery ahead of him; however, he appears he is ahead of schedule. Jones is trying to mimic the recovery of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who came back from an Achilles tear in record time, and Indiana legend Brad Stevens is trying to help.
Daniel Jones Trying to Replicate Achilles Recovery of Celtics Star Jayson Tatum
A torn Achilles is one of the toughest injuries to come back from, yet Tatum made it look easy after returning just 10 months after the injury.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen revealed that he spoke with Celtics president Brad Stevens about Tatum’s recovery.
“[Tatum] was in the building all day, every day, and Daniel’s the same way,” Steichen said of his takeaway after talking with Stevens. “Those guys know how to go about their business in the rehab process, and I think Daniel is doing it the right way.”
Steichen noted that Jones’ rehab process has been “phenomenal,” and added that his surgery was done by the same doctor that Tatum used: Dr. Martin J. O’Malley of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
#Colts HC Shane Steichen spoke to #Celtics president Brad Stevens about Jayson Tatum’s Achilles recovery. Tatum and Daniel Jones both got surgery from Dr. Martin O’Malley.
“(Tatum) was in that building all day every day and Daniel’s the same way.” pic.twitter.com/GbVsZcPn1c
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) April 21, 2026
Stevens is an Indiana native, born in Zionsville, who coached at Butler University prior to making the leap to the NBA. Factoring all of that in, it makes sense why Steichen would call on Stevens to ask him about Tatum and his recovery process.
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Since Tatum has come back, he has not missed a beat. He has played up to his elite level, and that is what the Colts expect from Jones when he returns. We have seen some players lose explosiveness in the past when recovering from this injury; hopefully, that will not be the case for Jones, who often relies on his legs to make plays.
Jones appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery as he hopes to be available for training camp in July. The Colts have a lot invested in Jones after signing him to a two-year, $88 million contract this offseason.
He led the Colts to an 8-4 record before an injury, which essentially derailed their season. Last season, Jones was the NFL’s fifth-best quarterback according to PFSN’s QB Impact metric with an 86.7 QBi grade.
With the Colts not owning a first-round pick this year or next due to the Sauce Gardner trade, they do not have a path to selecting a franchise quarterback anytime soon. They are all-in on Jones and hope that Steichen will continue to get the best out of him.
