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Cowboys’ Shiyazh Pete Becomes First Navajo NFL Player

8/23/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Shiyazh Pete, a Dallas Cowboys lineman, became the first NFL player to represent the Navajo Nation in a preseason game.
Pete signed a three-year, $3.1 million contract with the Cowboys.
He entered as third-string right guard and earned a standing ovation from thousands of Navajo fans.
Pete, born May 25 2003 in Ronan, Montana, grew up in Shiprock, New Mexico on the Navajo Nation.

History

Historical Context

In 1920 Jim Thorpe became the APFA’s president, coach and back for the Canton Bulldogs, the league’s first Native American star. His presence helped the Bulldogs attract a record 17,000 spectators and proved Indigenous athletes could command market value. A century later, Shiyazh Pete’s three-year, $3.1 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys marks the first Navajo Nation player in an NFL preseason, echoing Thorpe’s pioneering impact.

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Story summary

Shiyazh Pete, a Dallas Cowboys lineman, became the first NFL player to represent the Navajo Nation in a preseason game.
Pete signed a three-year, $3.1 million contract with the Cowboys.
He entered as third-string right guard and earned a standing ovation from thousands of Navajo fans.
Pete, born May 25 2003 in Ronan, Montana, grew up in Shiprock, New Mexico on the Navajo Nation.

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