DaRon Bland Keeps Promise, Dallas Cowboys 'Pick-6 Star' Breaks NFL Record in 45-10 Win Over Washington

DaRon Bland Keeps Promise, Dallas Cowboys 'Pick-6 Star' Breaks NFL Record in 45-10 Win Over Washington

ARLINGTON - Dallas Cowboys play-making cornerback DaRon Bland, modest as he is, essentially said that as long as he's tied the all-time NFL record for pick-6 interceptions in a season, he might as well go ahead and try to re-make that record.

"I tied the record, now, my mindset, I'm level-headed, now I'm trying to go break it," DaRon said after grabbing another scoring interception last week in the blowout at Carolina to give him the record-tying four on the year.

And then, by gosh, on NFL Week 12 Thanksgiving Day here at AT&T Stadium in Dallas' spectacular 45-10 win over the Washington Commanders ... he really did "go break it.''

Late in the game, Bland capped the blowout with a pick-6 off Washington QB Sam Howell that saw him travel 63 yards. The pick-six put the Cowboys up by 35 in the Week 12 contest.the other way ... once again doing way more than proving his worth as he helps cover for the season-ending injury loss of Trevon Diggs.

In Sunday's win over the Carolina Panthers, Bland snagged that fourth pick-6 of the season, which tied the NFL single-season record, with many not seeing this kind of output coming from the former fifth-round pick despite him leading the team in interceptions last season with five.

But for Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, the work of Bland - who just won NFC Defensive Player of the Week - wasn't the least bit shocking.

“I don't know why we keep talking about him as a surprise," McCarthy said this week in the lead-up to the Thanksgiving game. "He's been playing top-notch football now going on his second year. ... He's a smart, very instinctive football player.''

RECORD-BREAKIN' BLAND 🗣️👑@DaRon_Bland | 📺 CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/qIfaBJIoqw

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 24, 2023

Bland, in following up on his rookie season that saw him have five interceptions, now has seven picks this year after just 11 games ... and his total of 12 leads the NFL during the two-year span.

Outspoken teammate Micah Parsons stated that Bland is a quiet person and generally takes a while to come out of his shell, but when he is playing at a Pro Bowl level, naturally, the media spotlight is going to shine bright in his direction.

“I mean, it comes with it, you know, (and I'm) starting to get a little bit more comfortable with it, but it's all right," Bland said before Thursday.

With Bland now breaking the record for most pick-6s in a season, with six games remaining, you better believe he is also increasingly comfortable with wanting to re-set the record that he now has all to himself.