GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shiyazh Pete played six offensive snaps in the Dallas Cowboys‘ 34-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals, and a full section of State Farm Stadium was on its feet when he came onto the field. The undrafted rookie broke the team down in the locker room afterward.
Pete is believed to be the first player from the Navajo Nation to sign an NFL contract, according to The Dallas Morning News. He grew up in Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation, and he is a member of the Navajo and Salish nations.
He lost count of the flags.
“I just want to take the moment to thank all the fans and the people who showed up to support me and to celebrate my name and to wear my jersey. I lost count of how many Navajo Nation flags I saw,” Pete said. “I saw a Salish Nation flag as well, which was awesome. I had a feeling. Phoenix is home to a lot of Native American tribes. Obviously, we got to see that. It was incredible.”
Paid attendance was 62,674.
Pete did not expect a turnout that size. Asked how many he thought would be there, he said not that much.
“A Lot Of Native Americans Support The Cowboys”
Pete said the emotion of the moment did not come to him in English. He answered one question in Navajo and then said the phrase does not translate.
“It was surreal. It’s hard to find the words to describe it,” Pete explained. “English probably isn’t the language I’d describe it in.”
Support for the Cowboys across the Navajo Nation is not new to him.
“A lot of Navajo people, a lot of Native Americans support the Cowboys, and they really like football,” Pete said.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said he did not know what was happening in the stands while it was happening, and that Pete had talked to him about what the star means to him.
“I actually didn’t really know what was going on. But when I heard about it, I’m really proud for him and for what he’s done for us,” Schottenheimer said. “He talked about the star and the importance that the star holds for him, and it’s very important to a lot of people. And these guys love him.”
Pete’s family was in attendance. Saturday was his father’s birthday, his 54th.
“It’s just to show that I’m very thankful for this team. And obviously I’m not able to be here and speak to you, obtain such a following because of this team,” Pete said of breaking down the team. “It is through the Cowboys, this organization, Jerry Jones, that I’m able to participate and be amongst such incredible people.”
From Shiprock To A Walk-On Spot At New Mexico State
Pete was born in Ronan, Montana, on May 25, 2003, while his father was in the military. The family moved to Shiprock around his freshman year of high school. Shiprock sits in San Juan County and had a population of 7,718 in the 2020 census.
He never attended a youth football camp. He did judo and martial arts in Montana as a kid, and he chose football over basketball at Shiprock High School because it involved more contact. COVID-19 cut his senior season to five games in the spring of 2021, which left almost no window for recruiting. His parents reached out to several programs. The best offer was a preferred walk-on spot at New Mexico State.
Pete did not appear in a game in 2021. He played 12 games with nine starts as a redshirt freshman in 2022, a season that ended with a Quick Lane Bowl win over Bowling Green and a program-record 25 rushing touchdowns.
The 2023 season was the one that moved him. Pete started all 15 games for a New Mexico State team that went 10-5, the program’s first double-digit win total since 1960 and its first back-to-back bowl appearances since 1959 and 1960. The Aggies reached the Conference USA championship game and the New Mexico Bowl. Pete was named first-team All-Conference USA.
An injury cost him the first six games of 2024, and he returned to start the final six at left tackle. He transferred to Kentucky for his last year of eligibility and spent 2025 in the SEC.
Dallas signed him after the 2026 draft. He is listed at 6-9 and 309 pounds.
What The Locker Room Saw
Jaydon Blue said Pete gave a short speech to the team before breaking it down.
“He had a cool moment here in the locker room with the team and gave a little speech to the team. We love Pete,” Blue said. “It was cool to see all those people who came out to support him. He’s been a great brother on this team. We’re happy to have him.”
Pete has moved inside to guard this summer after playing left tackle for all five of his college seasons.
“Maybe one of the hardest workers I’ve been around, maximized all his opportunities,” Schottenheimer explained. “Everyone loves him because he’s the way he is today.”
Pete played 10% of the offensive snaps against Arizona, all of them late. He and Dylan Wingfield were the two reserve interior linemen who got that fourth-quarter work, with Cooper Glaser taking 10.
The Cowboys host the New Orleans Saints on Friday at 7 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium in the preseason finale, the last game before Dallas cuts to 53. The game airs on CBS 11 and ESPN.
