Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland made NFL history on Thanksgiving with his fifth pick-six of the season, setting the NFL single-season record before December even hits.
Bland, the 167th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has emerged as one of the league’s breakout stars this season. He entered NFL games today with 12 pass deflections and six interceptions, including a league-high four pick-sixes.
- DaRon Bland contract: $870,000 salary in 2023, $985,000 salary in 2024, $1.1 million salary in 2025, 2026 NFL free agent
Related: 2023 NFL power rankings
Just four days after Bland pick-sixed Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, the 6-foot cornerback ran his way into the NFL record books on Thursday night with his record-setting fifth interception return for a touchdown this season.
What’s so remarkable about Bland’s record is how quickly he did it. Entering 2023, three players (Eric Allen, Ken Houston and Jim Kearney) had recorded four pick-sixes in a season. However, they each did it in 14-plus games played. Bland did it in his 11th game and the record is his with six games remaining.
For context, only four players in NFL history have recorded at least 10 pick-sies in their entire career. Bland is already halfway there through his first 28 games played.
Most pick sixes in NFL history
- Rod Woodson – 12
- Darren Sharper – 11
- Charles Woodson – 11
- Aqib Talib – 10
There’s even more incredible company Bland now joins. Only 63 NFL players have recorded five pick-sixes in their entire careers. Bland already has more than Champ Bailey (four), and Lester Hayes (four) and he’s just four shy of Deion Sanders (nine).
Bland is quickly becoming one of the best, young cornerbacks in the NFL. Now, he’s emerging as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a huge boost for the Cowboys’ defense since Trevon Diggs’ season-ending injury.
