Inside The Celtics

Celtics' Jayson Tatum Reignites NBA, NFL Drama With Latest Comments

The six-time All-Star had a bold claim about NBA and NFL players.
Alex Kirschenbaum|
Mar 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) holds onto a rebound in front of Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) in the third quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Mar 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) holds onto a rebound in front of Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) in the third quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

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Six-time All-Star Boston Celtics power forward Jayson Tatum recently guested on the New Heights Podcast.

"There are a handful of guys that play in the NBA that if they had an entire, like, summer or a year to train — could they make an impact? Sure. For sure, but, like, just drop a guy from the NBA and throw him in the game? No shot."

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When asked by Jason Kelce if, conversely, Tatum thought any NFL players could train for a similar duration of time and then suit up for an NBA franchise, the six-time All-Star was a bit more hesitant.

"So listen, I have so much respect for you guys and what you guys do," Tatum began diplomatically.

The Kelce brothers both chuckled boisterously in response to this, anticipating what Tatum was revving up to say.

"[There's] nothing funnier than watching football guys play basketball, I'll say that," Tatum contniued

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"There's always a video that comes up on Twitter of somebody in the NFL, their high school [basketball] highlights, and it's like, 'He could've been,' and [I think], 'Nah, they chose the right sport,'" Tatum said.

In a rare game without Tatum on Wednesday night, the Celtics proved they could obliterate opposing playoff hopefuls by blowing out the starry Phoenix Suns, 132-102. It was Boston's seventh straight victory, and improved their road record to a sparkling 29-7.

That doesn't mean Boston can survive, say, the postseason, without Tatum — the team's best player — but it does suggest that the Celtics have enough depth to perhaps embark on a second straight special postseason run.

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The Celtics are now 54-19 on the 2024-25 season, just 4.5 games behind the 58-14 Cleveland Cavaliers. With just nine games left on their schedule, the Celtics now seem unlikely to catch Cleveland for the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed.

Still, the 27-year-old Duke product seems likely to return sooner rather than later from an ankle sprain. In his 66 healthy games (meaning he qualifies for a fifth All-NBA Team honor this spring, should the league be so inclined to deem him worthy), the 6-foot-8 vet is averaging 27.1 points on .455/.352/.809 shooting splits, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists a night.

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For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Currently also a scribe for Newsweek, Hoops Rumors, The Sporting News and "Gremlins" director Joe Dante's film site Trailers From Hell, Alex is an alum of Men's Journal, Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues, and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others.

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