Pete returns home to Shiprock
Navajo Times | Sharon Chischilly
Shiyazh Pete signs a young fan’s shirt during his meet and greet Sept. 3 at Shiprock High School.
SHIPROCK
Days after being waived by the Dallas Cowboys, Shiyazh Pete returned to Shiprock High School, where fans lined up Sept. 3 for autographs and photographs with the former Chieftain.
Pete, a 2021 Shiprock graduate, met with fans during the Chieftains’ home football game against Crownpoint. Children and adults waited as Pete signed footballs, shirts, jerseys and a Navajo Nation flag. One fan wore a Dallas Cowboys jersey bearing Pete’s name and No. 75.
© 2026 Navajo Times Publishing Co. Inc.
The appearance came a day after Pete returned to Shiprock High for a fall sports pep rally, where he spoke to students and student-athletes about perseverance and the work that took him from Shiprock to college football and an NFL training camp.
“The fact that you guys showed up today is half the battle,” Pete told students Sept. 2. “Life is hard. It will throw you a lot of curveballs – some days you’re flying high, and the next you’re shot down. It’s whether you keep going, keep climbing, keep moving forward.”
Pete played four seasons at New Mexico State before transferring to Kentucky for the 2025 season. He started all 12 games at left tackle for the Wildcats and finished his college career with 45 games played and 42 starts.
After going undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft, Pete signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent. The Cowboys identified him as the first member of the Navajo Nation to sign with an NFL team. He appeared in all three Cowboys preseason games before Dallas waived him Aug. 30 during its roster cuts.
Pete drew attention Aug. 22 when Diné fans traveled to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for the Cowboys’ preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. Pete played six snaps during a fourth-quarter touchdown drive as Dallas won 34-13. Fans gave him a standing ovation when he returned to the sideline.
After the game, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer told the team he had never seen an entire section cheer for one player during his 25 years in the NFL. Schottenheimer then called on Pete to break down the team.
Pete spoke to his teammates before closing with, “This game, this star, this team will make us brothers.”
Pete returned to the Chieftains after Thursday’s game and spoke to the team following its 18-6 loss to Crownpoint.
“You all could have just thrown in the towel down 18-0, but I saw adversity. I saw heart,” Pete told the players. “You all fought an uphill battle. Keep your heads up, keep your hearts in it.”
Get instant access to this story by purchasing one of our many e-edition subscriptions HERE at our Navajo Times Store.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow