DaRon Bland Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Cowboys CB DaRon Bland ties NFL record

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 19, 2023 4:15 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys second-year cornerback DaRon Bland is becoming a star.

Against the Carolina Panthers, Bland intercepted rookie quarterback Bryce Young and returned the pick for a 30-yard TD. This gave the Cowboys a 30-10 lead with 13:48 in the fourth quarter. It was Bland's sixth interception this season and his fourth pick-six, which ties an NFL record.

6th interception of the year.
4th pick-6 of the year (t-most ever in a season)

Daron Bland. Lockdown. pic.twitter.com/m0ByCbbFg8
— NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2023

The emergence of Bland has been crucial for Dallas. Cornerback Trevon Diggs — a two-time Pro Bowler — suffered a season-ending ACL tear in September. Since entering the league in 2020, Diggs is tied for the second-most interceptions (18) in the league.

Bland has stepped up, though, and exceeded expectations. Through nine games, Pro Football Focus gave the former fifth-round pick an 89.4 grade, second among CBs. And the Cowboys defense remains strong, ranking fourth in the NFL in points allowed (18.3).

When Diggs returns in 2024, Dallas will have one of the best secondaries in the league.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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