Dallas Cowboys defensive back DaRon Bland etched his name in the NFL history books with an interception returned for a touchdown during the team’s Thanksgiving win over the Washington Commanders.
With Dallas leading 38-10 and less than five minutes remaining in the game, Bland stepped in front of a pass from Washington quarterback Sam Howell, split a couple of would-be tacklers, and raced into the endzone, becoming the first player in league history to return five interceptions for touchdowns in a single season, breaking the 30-year-old mark set by Philadelphia’s Eric Allen.
“It was the perfect one just to show my teammates my return skills,” Bland told the media postgame. “They’ve seen all the pick-sixes now. They said, ‘We’ve got to see one with return skills,’ so hopefully I showed them.”
After the play, teammates surrounded Bland and celebrated with him as they lifted him into the Salvation Army red kettle that sits behind the endzone every holiday season.
“I couldn’t even celebrate after,” Bland said. “They picked me up and put me in the pot. It’s just great having that energy from our teammates. It means a lot.”
Bland entered the starting lineup in Week 3 after a season-ending injury to Trevon Diggs and set the record in just 11 games, shattering any possibility of doubters attributing his accomplishment to the extended regular season.
“It’s about opportunities, and that’s what you have to have in this league,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told the media after the win. “… DaRon has just, from every opportunity he’s been given, been so steady and so professional for a young man. His play-making ability is special.”
The second-year defensive back now has 12 career interceptions, tied with Anthony Henry for the 26th-most in franchise history, and returned five for touchdowns. He seems to have a long career ahead of him and could threaten Rod Woodson’s NFL career record of 12 pick-sixes.
The Cowboys have won 13 consecutive home games and have been dominant against teams with losing records. The defense has been crucial to the team’s success, creating turnovers in nine of its 11 games. Dallas is 8-1 in games in which it has forced a turnover from its opponent and 0-2 when it has not forced any turnovers.
Dallas (8-3) returns to the field against the Seattle Seahawks (6-5) at 7:15 p.m. CT on Thursday at AT&T Stadium.