The Dallas Cowboys recently made NFL history by signing offensive lineman Shiyazh Pete as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2026 season. Pete is officially the first Navajo player to ever sign with an NFL franchise. He joins the team after beginning his college football career at New Mexico State and finishing at Kentucky. Now, he is determined to make his presence felt in Dallas.
Pete currently sits on the depth chart as a third-string right guard, meaning he still has to work his way up to earn a spot on the final 53-man roster. He recently signed a standard three-year contract with the Cowboys worth $3.1 million. Despite the lucrative deal, Pete knows that signing an undrafted contract does not guarantee him long-term job security.
During rookie minicamp, Pete noted that there was a massive “library of knowledge” inside the Cowboys’ building that he desperately wanted to learn from. He also mentioned that simply wearing the iconic Cowboys’ star felt surreal and almost unbelievable. That surreal feeling stems from his unique cultural background and difficult path to the professional ranks.
Pete originally grew up on a reservation before working his way into the world of competitive football. Reaching an NFL training camp now gives him a chance to achieve something much bigger than personal athletic success. He recently reflected on that massive cultural leap during an exclusive interview with 600 ESPN El Paso at training camp in Oxnard, California.
“When I first got there, I didn’t know too much about the world of football, the world of college life, outside of the reservation,” Pete said in an exclusive interview with 600 ESPN El Paso during training camp in Oxnard, California. “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 is currently playing right guard for the Cowboys instead of his usual left tackle position. He is fiercely competing for a place on the final roster and currently sits behind Tyler Booker and Trevor Keegan on the interior depth chart. Dallas is expected to keep about five or six interior offensive linemen, but the team currently has nine different players competing for those limited spots.
Pete played his first few NFL snaps last Saturday when the Cowboys defeated the Seattle Seahawks 17-7 in preseason action. He will have another critical opportunity to show the coaching staff that he can play at the NFL level as the preseason continues. His massive physical frame could give him a distinct advantage over the rest of the offensive line competition.
Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 309 pounds, Pete’s imposing frame can be a massive asset in the trenches. His elite height and size can help him engulf defenders and protect quarterback Dak Prescott, giving the offense more time to make dynamic plays. He acknowledged that his rare physical traits have always made him stand out in a crowd.
“I was quite, quite a specimen,” Pete joked during rookie minicamp in Dallas. “I mean, really, didn’t really have no one to kind of relate to in terms of height. I’ve always been asked questions like, you know, ‘how tall are you? How’s the weather up there?’”
Those exact physical gifts eventually paved his winding journey to the NFL.
Shiyazh Pete’s career
Pete was born in 2003 in Ronan, Montana, on the Flathead Indian Reservation. His mother is Navajo, while his father is of both Navajo and Salish descent. He first grew up competing in judo and did not actually start playing organized football until the seventh grade.
He later moved to Shiprock High School in New Mexico, where he quickly became an all-district football standout. The COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately canceled his senior season in 2020, resulting in a lack of traditional college football scholarship offers. That setback forced him to take the hardest possible route into the collegiate ranks.
Pete eventually joined New Mexico State as a walk-on, and after redshirting to develop his game, he became a dominant left tackle. He anchored the offensive line and helped New Mexico State win an impressive 10 games in 2023. Looking to test himself against elite competition, he transferred to a massive SEC program for his final collegiate season.
He transferred to Kentucky for the 2025 season, won the starting left tackle job, and played all 12 games for the Wildcats. His steady performance against top-tier pass rushers earned him a spot in the prestigious Hula Bowl, which ultimately helped him secure an opportunity with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. His advanced metrics during that final collegiate season highlighted his immense potential in pass protection.
According to Blogging the Boys, Pete played 808 total offensive snaps during his lone season at Kentucky. He spent 455 of those snaps in direct pass protection, where he was tasked with shielding the quarterback from SEC edge rushers. During those 455 passing plays, he allowed only 34 pressures, three quarterback hits, and six sacks, while only being flagged for three penalties all year.
With all those impressive collegiate milestones behind him, Pete is now determined to solidify his spot on a professional depth chart. He will continue to fight for his NFL dream as the Cowboys proceed through their preseason schedule in August 2026.