The Dallas Cowboys have cut offensive lineman Shiyazh Pete, the first Navajo to sign with an NFL team, according to reports.
Pete earned national attention when he helped block for a Cowboys rushing touchdown in their preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, earning a massive ovation from both the Cowboys bench and the pro-Navajo Arizona crowd.
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Then Pete’s celebrity rose even higher after head coach Brian Schottenheimer called on Pete to deliver a speech to the Cowboys locker room.
“This game, fate, brought us here as strangers, but this game, this star, this team, will make us brothers.”
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The 6-foot-8, 322-pound Pete started his college journey at New Mexico State as a preferred walk-on, redshirting in 2022 and then starting at left tackle for the next three seasons, including as part of a 10-win team in 2024. He transferred to Kentucky for his final year of eligibility in 2025, starting all 12 games and earning an invitation to the Hula Bowl.
Here’s the assessment of Pete from draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic:
During Cowboys training camp, Pete told 600 ESPN El Paso:
“When I first got [to New Mexico State], I didn’t know too much about the world of football, the world of college life, outside of the reservation.
“To think I’d be here now, five years into the future, just because I play the game of football, and I get to do these opportunities now, and be a part of something great and large — it’s a privilege. It’s a testament to how much hard work really pays off.”
Pete was born on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Roanan, Montana. According to the El Paso Times, he started playing football in the seventh grade before transferring to Shiprock High School in New Mexico as a sophomore.
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After going undrafted in 2026, Pete quickly signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent on a three-year deal. He has been listed at both right tackle and guard and was competing as a third-stringer during the 2026 preseason, playing in all three exhibition contests.
Pete could still land on Dallas’ practice squad if he clears waivers.
