Cowboys’ DaRon Bland out 6-8 weeks with stress fracture in foot after record-setting 2023 season
Los Angeles Rams running back Ronnie Rivers, left, and Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland runs drills during a joint NFL football practice Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who set an NFL record last season by returning five interceptions for touchdowns, will miss six to eight weeks because of a stress fracture in his foot.
Bland will have surgery for the injury, the team said Saturday. He reported discomfort in the foot during training camp in California this past week and underwent imaging that revealed the stress fracture.
The Cowboys announced the 25-year-old Bland’s injury before their preseason finale at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. Dallas broke camp in California on Thursday.
The loss of Bland comes with the Cowboys getting ready for the return of 2021 All-Pro Trevon Diggs, who missed all but two games last year after tearing a knee ligament. Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021.
Bland was an All-Pro in his second season after leading the NFL with nine interceptions. The first pick-6 came in the opener against the New York Giants, followed by one in Week 4 against New England and in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams.
The fourth return for a TD came in the 10th game against Carolina, tying the previous record shared by Philadelphia’s Eric Allen (1993), Kansas City’s Jim Kearney (1972) and Houston’s Ken Houston (1971).
Bland broke the record the next week in a 45-10 victory against Washington.
Bland was a fifth-round pick out of Fresno State in 2022 and has 14 interceptions in 34 games.