LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — Former New Mexico State University offensive lineman Shiyazh Pete made his debut with the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday as the Cowboys defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Arizona.
Pete, a Cowboys rookie, is the first member of the Navajo Nation to sign with an NFL team, according to the Dallas Cowboys.
The former Aggie entered the game during the fourth quarter and played six snaps on a scoring drive that ended with a touchdown by running back Phil Mafah.
As Pete took the field, supporters waving Navajo Nation flags and wearing his jersey cheered from the stands. He received a standing ovation after returning to the Cowboys’ sideline.
“The standing ovation was incredible,” Pete told the Cowboys. “I lost count of how many Navajo Nation flags I saw.”
For Pete, the moment carried meaning beyond football.
“I saw hope, courage,” he said when asked what he saw in the crowd.
Pete played for New Mexico State from 2021 through 2024. The 6-foot-8, 320-pound lineman was named first-team All-Conference USA in 2023 and started the final nine games of the Aggies’ 2022 season, including the Quick Lane Bowl, according to his NMSU Athletics biography.
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