A 6-foot-9 offensive tackle who became the first Navajo player to sign with an NFL team.
Shiyazh Pete grew up on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Ronan, Montana before walking on at New Mexico State and eventually starting at left tackle for Kentucky in 2025. Undrafted in 2026, his signing with Dallas made him the first player from the Navajo Nation to join an NFL roster, a moment celebrated across Navajo Nation.
Path to the league
Born in Ronan, Montana, Pete is the son of a Navajo and Salish father and a full-blooded Navajo mother. He walked on at New Mexico State in 2021, redshirted, then became the starting left tackle in 2022 before transferring to Kentucky for his final season in 2025.
Career highlights
At New Mexico State, Pete started all 15 games in 2023 and earned first-team All-Conference USA honors, including a start in NMSU's 34-10 upset of Auburn. He played through an ankle injury in 2024 before transferring to Kentucky.
2025 season recap
Pete started all 12 games at left tackle for Kentucky in 2025, recording a team-high 35 knockdowns and earning team captain honors for the Wildcats' South Carolina game. He went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft but signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent, becoming the first Navajo player in NFL history.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Shiyazh Pete
- Navajo Times: Shiyazh Pete's path to the NFL
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Offensive Tackle
- Group
- offense
- College
- Kentucky
- Hometown
- Navajo, NM, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
