The Dallas Cowboys’ DaRon Bland snagged his fifth pick-6 of the 2023 NFL season on Thursday, contributing to a 45-10 blowout victory over the Washington Commanders. This meant that Bland is now the sole owner of the NFL record for most interceptions returned for a touchdown in a single season.
Bland got his fourth pick-6 in Week 11, tying the record collectively held by Philadelphia Eagles’ Eric Allen, Kansas City Chiefs’ Jim Kearney, and Houston Oilers’ Ken Houston. But the 24-year-old only needed one game to make the record his own, picking off Commanders’ quarterback Sam Howell in the Cowboys’ territory and taking the ball back for 63 yards to the end zone. He also managed to avoid several tacklers in doing so.
“Actually, it was my perfect one just to show my teammates return skills because that’s what they said. They see all the pick-sixes now they say they got to see one with return skills. Hopefully I showed them,” said Bland after the game. “… I couldn’t even celebrate after, they picked me up and put me in the pot. It was great having that energy from my teammates. It means a lot.”
DaRon Bland had a rapid ascension to stardom after being selected by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. He received an opportunity to start at nickel following Jourdan Lewis’ injury in his rookie season and got everyone’s attention by recording five interceptions.
Bland also stepped in this season following the injury of All-Pro corner Trevon Diggs, and the Cowboys secondary hardly missed a beat. The 24-year-old player now has 12 interceptions since he entered the league, more than any player during that period.
