Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland’s parents, Dwight Bland and Adrienne A. Tompkins, raised five kids in Modesto, California. Though the couple has no professional athletic background, it didn’t stop them from supporting their sons in pursuing one.
Bland, 25, was a fifth-round pick from Fresno State in 2022 for the Cowboys.
He played three seasons with Sacramento State before moving to Fresno State in 2021 to complete his senior season.
While at Sacramento, Bland was named first-team all-Big Sky as a defensive back and earned the team’s Outstanding Defensive Back Award.
In his senior season with Fresno, Bland appeared in all 13 games and started in the final nine games as a cornerback.
DaRon didn’t have the flashiest rookie season, but the cornerback went all out on his sophomore year. In the 2023 season, DaRon made nine interceptions, 69 combined tackles, and completed 661 yards.
His stats were good enough to land him on the Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro teams.
The cornerback was expected to start the 2024 season in a similar fashion, but injuries kept him out during the early part.
He has started the last five games for the Cowboys, and recently, against the Buccaneers, Bland’s defense came up clutch.
The Cowboys defeated the Bucs 26-24, with Bland making one of the best plays. He stripped the ball from running back Rachaad White and recovered it, sealing the Cowboys’ win.
DaRon Bland’s Parents, Dwight Bland, And Adrienne A. Tompkins Are A Supportive Bunch
Cornerback DaRon Bland has praised his parents for helping him develop a strong mentality even before he entered the league.
Previously, the Cowboys’ head coach, Mike McCarthy, had praised how Bland never takes his foot off the ground during his high moments and still keeps up his energy during the low moments.
Speaking to the Cowboys’ official webpage, DaRon said that is how his parents raised him. Bland said,
That’s just how I grew up. My parents and my family just always made sure, whenever the opportunity comes, just be ready. Nobody in my family let me be complacent or be still. I’m always trying to be better.
via: Dallas Cowboys
DaRon’s dad never played professional football, but the Bland family has quite a name in Modesto.
His father, Dwight Bland, and uncle, Maurice Bland, played football at Central Catholic and wrestled at city schools in the 1980s.
A 2013 article about his cousin, Reggie Bland, highlights some of his family members’ achievements on the football field.
One of his other cousins, Louis Bland III, played football at Washington State University and was a two-time Modesto Bee Player of the Year.
On Facebook, Dwight has shared a few family photos, including childhood pictures of DaRon and his siblings.
Recently, the proud dad shared the video of DaRon’s game-winning play against the Bucs. He captioned the post, “Back at it mane!!! Keep making Pop’s very proud & I know you dig it!! Ya Dig!!“
DaRon’s mom, Adrienne, is also available on the photo-sharing platform but has only shared two family pictures.
The NFL player’s mom is an Administrative Assistant at UC Cooperative Extension and previously worked in a similar position at Public Health Foundation Enterprises and the University of California for four years.
DaRon Bland’s Brother, Keane Blan,d Was A Student-Athlete
DaRon Bland’s older brother, Keane Bland, was a track and field athlete at Fresno State and LSU before he became a full-time Business Intelligence Analyst.
Before taking his talents to Fresno and LSU, Keane played football and ran track at Johansen High School in Modesto.
In his senior year, Keane won the Modesto Metro Conference league championship in 110m hurdles and 300m hurdles.
While at Fresno, Keane competed in the 110 and 400-meter hurdles events.
In his junior season, he had two second-place finishes in the 110m hurdles at the Fresno State Twiglight and the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge.
He graduated from Fresno State with a Criminology degree in 2016 and enrolled in LSU’s Master’s program in 2017.
At LSU, Keane put academics ahead of sports and played only one season of track and field.
In his sole season, Keane became one of the fastest LSU players in the 60-meter hurdles, recording a personal best of 7.89 seconds.
He cracked the Top 10 of LSU’s all-time indoor performance as the no. 9 ranked performer in the school’s history in the men’s 60-meter hurdle.
Despite such a promising start, Keane decided to focus on his career in the corporate field.
He earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration and worked in a government program for two years.
Since 2020, Keane has worked as a Senior Business Intelligence Analyst at Accenture.
Though he is no longer an athlete, Keane hasn’t forgotten his athletic roots.
Alongside working at Accenture, Keane is also an assistant track coach at St. Albans School.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- DaRon Bland has two older sisters, Sheray and Dashae Bland, and a younger sister, Amani Bland.
- The Cowboys cornerback is reportedly single and has never had any dating rumors swirling on social media platforms.
