‘Pretty cool’ to break Tony Romo’s Dallas Cowboys’ record for touchdown passes in season

PHILADELPHIA — As Dak Prescott went to the sideline after his fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Corey Clement on Saturday night, some of the Dallas Cowboys’ coaches kept congratulating him.

“I thought they were saying congrats for five touchdowns, to be honest,” Prescott said.

That might have been part of it, but Prescott established the Cowboys’ single-season record for touchdown passes with his 8-yard throw to Clement in Dallas’ 51-26 win against the Philadelphia Eagles, eclipsing the mark held by Tony Romo, who had 36 touchdown passes in 2007.

“I just think it’s a helluva year for a guy that was in a slump,” coach Mike McCarthy deadpanned. “He’s special. He’s a special man. He’s a tremendous leader. Hopefully he’ll get some recognition for how he plays the game on the field. He’s so consistent in his approach. What’s exciting is we have a lot of growth in front of us and him in particular, too. He’s still a young quarterback that has a lot of excellent football in front of him.”

In a three-game stretch from Weeks 13 to 15, Prescott totaled just three touchdown passes and had three interceptions, though the Cowboys won all three games.

Entering Saturday, Prescott, whose previous season high was 30 touchdowns in 2019, knew he had a chance to reach Romo’s mark, “but that’s not anything I really ever think about.” Prescott did not have the benefit of a 17th regular-season game to break the mark because he missed the Oct. 31 meeting against the Minnesota Vikings with a calf strain.

For the second time in three games, Prescott threw four touchdown passes in the first half. He had four in the 56-14 win against the Washington Football Team on Dec. 26. His first touchdown, a 14-yarder to Cedrick Wilson, came on the Cowboys’ first possession.

In the second quarter, Prescott gave the Cowboys the lead for good with a 24-yard touchdown to Wilson. He closed the first half with two touchdown passes to tight end Dalton Schultz (2 yards, 9 yards) in the final 1:45 to give…