Navajo Nation shows out at Cardinals game to support Cowboys’ Shiyazh Pete

If you didn’t know Shiyazh Pete’s name before, you certainly did by the end of the weekend. The NFL’s first player from the Navajo Nation took the NFL world by storm with his postgame speech after the Dallas Cowboys beat the Arizona Cardinals, 34-13, on Saturday.

“Well, that was an incredible win. I am very fortunate to be amongst you and to play on the same field, where the same star holden on our chest,” Pete said in his postgame speech to the team. “I’m proud of us. I’m proud of how far we’ve come, man. This game — fate brought us here as strangers, but this game, this star, this team will make us brothers.”

this game, this star, this team will make us brothers 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/rEcvDTzSkd

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 23, 2026

In more than 25 years of coaching in the NFL, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said he’d never seen an entire section of a stadium cheering for one man — Pete.

“The standing ovation was incredible. I just want to take the moment to thank all of the fans and the people who showed up to support me, to celebrate my name and to wear my jersey,” Pete told reporters postgame. “I lost count of how many Navajo Nation flags I saw.”

Pete grew up on Navajo Nation land and attended Red Valley-Cove High School in Arizona before transferring to Shiprock High School so he could play football. Red Valley Cove is right along the Arizona-New Mexico border, and Shiprock is about 20 miles East of the border.

Pete’s father, Natani, is a captain in the U.S. Army and of the Salish/Navajo tribe. His mother, Geraldine, is fully of the Navajo tribe and grew up in Sweetwater, Arizona.

When Pete got the opportunity to play Saturday against the Cardinals in Phoenix, he knew there was a good chance he’d see some fans of his in the crowd. Some would be an understatement. The undrafted free agent signing had a whole section cheering for him.

HEARTWARMING VIDEO:#Cowboys rookie offensive lineman Shiyazh Pete embraced Navajo fans who traveled to Phoenix to support him.

As the first #NFL player of Navajo heritage, he wants his journey to inspire his people🙏

“I hope I represent hope & courage” pic.twitter.com/8tlLAICN0D

— MLFootball (@MLFootball) August 23, 2026

“I had a feeling. Phoenix is home to a lot of Native American tribes,” Pete said. “Obviously we got to see that. It was incredible.”

When asked how to describe the feeling of seeing so many Native Americans in attendance to support him, Pete used the Navajo word, “hózhǫ́.”

“It was surreal. It’s hard to find the words to describe. English probably isn’t the language I’d describe it in,” Pete said. “Hózhǫ́. It was that. Folks back home, folks upstairs (and) around the stadium will know.

“I was trying to find the words for how special and impactful that really was. The fact that I am able to participate on the field, conduct my play to the best of my ability and fans support me for that, for who I am, it’s incredible.”

Hózhǫ́ is described as a state of balance, beauty and harmony. Pete said he saw hope and courage in the faces of the many Navajo Nation supporters in the crowd.”

Shiyazh Pete’s journey to the NFL

The Cowboys signed Pete as an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky this offseason. The first NFL player from the Navajo Nation played in 45 games across four years at New Mexico and Kentucky before going undrafted.

The 6-foot-8, 321-pound offensive lineman started all 12 games for the Wildcats last season, where he had a team-high 35 knockdowns. Pete transferred from New Mexico for his senior year.

He played his three years with the Aggies, starting as a walk on. Pete played in 12 games (nine starts) as a redshirt freshman, and was part of an offensive line that blocked for a program-record 25 rushing touchdowns. He started all 15 games as a sophomore and earned First Team All-CUSA honors. Then Pete served as the blindside protector his junior year for a group that led the country with the fewest sacks allowed (0.42 per game).

“I’m very thankful for this team. Obviously, I’m able to be here and speak to — obtain such a following because of this team,” Pete said. “It is through the Cowboys, this organization, Jerry Jones that I’m able to participate and be amongst such incredible people.”

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