Shiyazh Pete’s brief stint with the Dallas Cowboys resonated beyond the field, marking a significant moment for the Navajo Nation during his NFL preseason debut in August. Thousands of fans from across the Navajo Nation traveled to witness the game against the Arizona Cardinals, erupting in cheers and chanting “yéego,” an affirmation of effort.
Despite playing only six snaps, Pete received a standing ovation, becoming the first member of the Navajo Nation to sign with an NFL team. Now a free agent, Pete has returned to his community, engaging with fans and participating in local events, including surprising students at his alma mater, Shiprock High School, and serving as the grand marshal of the Northern Navajo Nation Fair Parade. He is scheduled to meet fans at an Indigenous Peoples Day event in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Pete's achievement places him among a distinguished lineage of Native athletes who have achieved prominence in sports, inspired their communities, and served as role models for younger generations.
Historic Native American Athletes
Throughout history, Native Americans have made significant contributions to sports. Jim Thorpe, of the Sac and Fox Nation, is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, winning decathlon and pentathlon gold medals at the 1912 Olympics and playing professionally in baseball and football. Louis Tewanima, a member of the Hopi tribe, set an American record in the 10,000 meters at the 1912 Olympics after finishing ninth in the marathon in 1908. The sport of surfing owes much of its global recognition to Native Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic swimming medalist in the 1910s and 1920s who demonstrated surfing internationally.
In marathon running, Ellison Myers “Tarzan” Brown of the Narragansett Tribe won the Boston Marathon twice in the late 1930s and competed in the 1936 Olympics. Billy Mills, an Oglala Lakota runner, achieved a historic upset by winning Olympic gold in the 10-kilometer run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, a feat unmatched by a U.S. Olympian in that event since. Patti Catalano Dillon, of Mi’kmaw descent, was a pioneering marathoner, setting world records and achieving high finishes in major marathons in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Professional Sports Milestones
In professional leagues, Ryneldi Becenti made history as the first Native American WNBA player in 1997. Aaliyah Nye, a citizen of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi, currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks after being drafted in 2025. Golfer Notah Begay III, with Navajo, San Felipe, and Isleta heritage, achieved four PGA Tour wins in 1999 and 2000 and has since focused on promoting Native American health and wellness through his foundation.