Pick No. 167 in the 2022 NFL Draft is now an NFL record holder, and DaRon Bland picked off five passes to get there.
The Dallas Cowboys cornerback has now returned the most interceptions for touchdowns in a single season, shattering the record in the 45-10 Thanksgiving Day rout of the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium.
Most Pick-Sixes in a Single Season
The record fell with less than five minutes to play, as Bland stepped in front of a Sam Howell pass and took it back 63 yards for the final touchdown.
#DallasCowboys CB DaRon Bland just broke the single-season record with his 5th INT return TD 🤯
A DOG 🐶
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 24, 2023
Bland breaks the 30-year mark held by Eric Allen. The former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback returned four picks for touchdowns during the 1993 season. Allen’s mark also tied Jim Kearney of the Kansas City Chiefs (1972) and Jim Houston of the Cleveland Browns (1971) for most interceptions for touchdowns in a single year.
| Player | Season | Team | Pick-6s |
| DaRon Bland | 2023 | Dallas Cowboys | 5 |
| Eric Allen | 1993 | Philadelphia Eagles | 4 |
| Jim Kearney | 1972 | Kansas City Chiefs | 4 |
| Ken Houston | 1971 | Houston Oilers | 4 |
What’s more astonishing about this feat is that Bland was not even considered a starter before the year. He was suiting up for a defense featuring All-Pros Trevon Diggs (before his torn ACL) and newcomer Stephon Gilmore in the CB room.
Most Career Pick-Sixes in NFL History
Now that Bland has five interceptions-turned-touchdowns, where does this now place him in league history? Has he already surpassed some Hall of Famers?
What Bland did is tie NFL legends Dick “Night Train” Lane of the Detroit Lions and Ronnie Lott of the San Francisco 49ers/Los Angeles Raiders/New York Jets with the same touchdown mark. But Bland officially passed Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey, who delivered four pick-sixes for scores.
So, who are the all-time leaders Bland can aim to catch? Here’s who the current leaders are from their careers:
- Rod Woodson: Had 12 interceptions returned for touchdowns.
- Darren Sharper and Charles Woodson: Both are tied with 11 touchdowns returned.
- Aqib Talib: Brought back 10 passes for scores.
Bland is already halfway toward hitting double digits. With one more scoring takeaway, he can tie two more Hall of Famers in Darrell Green and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Brooks.
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Again, Bland has hit a surprise ascension to some NFL fans as a defender who was considered no better than the third cornerback. But that’s not the only thing that makes Bland’s trek to history impressive.
Bland’s NFL Draft Path
The Modesto, Calif., native can now join a list of NFL players past or present who went from underrecruited to late-round pick to league stardom.
Two universities became fortunate to take in a little-known versatile playmaker from the 209 region.
Bland starred at Central Catholic High in Modesto where he earned Valley Oak League Defensive Player of the Year honors his senior season. In addition to locking up wide receivers, Bland handled return duties on special teams and played sparingly at wide receiver. He collected 2,022 total all-purpose yards for his varsity career according to MaxPreps.
However, Bland heard little from Power Five universities and even Group of Five schools. He wound up settling at nearby Sacramento State. He only had three interceptions in his Hornets career. He managed to swat away 16 passes in two seasons. The threat of COVID-19, though, forced his senior year to be played in Spring 2021. Bland opted for the NCAA transfer portal instead.
Fresno State swooped him up, giving him an elevation in the NCAA Division I ranks. In 13 games with the Bulldogs, Bland snatched two more interceptions while breaking up five more passes. That ’21 Bulldogs team ended up 10-3 overall and won the New Mexico Bowl over UTEP.
Bland wasn’t given a glistening NFL Draft grade due to his minimal production on the interceptions front with five in his career. Sports Illustrated had called him a “developmental cornerback” if placed in the right fit. That kind of fit had to see Bland “in a scheme that asks him to cover deep thirds and quarters frequently.” Lastly, SI’s draft profile predicted him to be “a solid backup or low-level starter.”
Well, the Cowboys made a late-round find on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft. Now, the fifth-rounder at 167th overall is an NFL record holder in just two seasons in the league.
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