FOOTBALL
Shiyazh Pete returns to inspire Shiprock students
The NFL hopeful, recently cut by the Dallas Cowboys, urged students to persevere
Shiyazh Pete, an undrafted rookie whose locker-room speech after a recent Dallas Cowboys preseason game went viral, returned to his alma mater this week to offer words of wisdom to the students at Shiprock High School.
Pete, a 2021 SHS graduate, played collegiately at New Mexico State and Kentucky and is attempting to be the first member of the Navajo Nation to make an NFL roster.
The Cowboys brought Pete 鈥� a 6-foot-9, 309-pound offensive lineman 鈥� into training camp and preseason, but cut him Sunday.
On Aug. 22, Pete played six snaps in the Cowboys鈥� 34-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. A section of the stadium was filled with Pete supporters and Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer took notice.
鈥淚 saw something tonight I鈥檇 never seen before, in 25 years in the NFL,鈥� Schottenheimer said, addressing his team after the game. 鈥淎n entire section (of the stands), cheering for one man.鈥�
Schottenheimer then called on Pete to say a few words.
this game, this star, this team will make us brothers 馃棧锔�
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys)
鈥淭hat was an incredible win,鈥� Pete said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very fortunate to be amongst you and play in the same field with the same star holding on our chest.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud of us, proud of how far we鈥檝e come. This game, fate, has brought us here as strangers, but this game, this star, this team will make us brothers.鈥�
Video of Pete鈥檚 speech was shared widely on social media.
Pete is eligible to join another NFL team this season.
While he waits for an invite, Pete returned home. On Wednesday, he spoke at an SHS assembly in the school鈥檚 basketball gym.
鈥淚 surrounded myself with people who had great perseverance 鈥� people who just kept showing up and put in the work, even when they were tired. That鈥檚 the one thing that really stands out,鈥� he said, noting that resilience will carry students into adulthood.
"The fact that you guys showed up today is half the battle," Pete said. 鈥淟ife is hard. It will throw you a lot of curveballs 鈥� some days you鈥檙e flying high, and the next you鈥檙e shot down. It鈥檚 whether you keep going, keep climbing, keep moving forward.鈥�
Speaking to the Chieftains football team ahead of Thursday鈥檚 season opener, at home against Crownpoint, Pete said: 鈥淭he greatest warriors didn鈥檛 go to battle because they hated what was in front of them. They went to battle because they loved what was behind them. Play the game well. Play for each other. Play for your brothers.鈥�
