Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who set an NFL record last season by returning five interceptions for touchdowns, will be out for six to eight weeks due to a stress fracture in his foot.
Bland will need surgery for the injury, which was discovered after he reported pain in his foot during training camp in California last week. An imaging test showed the stress fracture.
The Cowboys announced Bland’s injury before their preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. The team had recently left their California training camp.
This injury is a setback for the Cowboys as they prepare for the return of 2021 All-Pro Trevon Diggs, who missed most of last season due to a torn knee ligament. Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021.
In his second season, Bland was an All-Pro after leading the league with nine interceptions. His first pick-6 happened in the season opener against the New York Giants, followed by additional ones in Week 4 against New England, Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams, and Week 10 against Carolina.
His fourth return for a touchdown tied the record previously held by Philadelphia’s Eric Allen, Kansas City’s Jim Kearney, and Houston’s Ken Houston. He set a new record the following week in a game against Washington.
Bland, a fifth-round pick from Fresno State in 2022, has 14 interceptions in 34 games.
