Shiyazh Pete may no longer be on the Dallas Cowboys’ active roster, but his words inside the locker room after the team’s preseason victory over the Arizona Cardinals continue to resonate.
During a recent appearance on PBS NewsHour, Pete opened up about the viral speech that introduced millions of people to his story.
Related Story: Cowboys’ Shiyazh Pete paid his own way through college and now he’s living the NFL dream he fought for
Pete made history as the first Navajo player to sign an NFL contract when he joined the Cowboys. After Dallas defeated Arizona on August 22, head coach Brian Schottenheimer invited Pete to address the team in the locker room. And what followed was a 59 word speech that quickly spread across social media and national media.
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“Fate brought us here as strangers, but this game, this star, this team will make us brothers,” Pete told his teammates as the locker room erupted in cheers.
Shiyazh Pete reveals the video game behind his viral locker room speech
Speaking with PBS NewsHour’s Amna Nawaz, Pete admitted that he knew immediately that the words had landed. “From the moment the words left my mouth, I knew I was like, dang, that was some really good stuff,” Pete said.
However, Pete also revealed an unexpected detail about where the speech came from. While the emotion of the moment was his own, he acknowledged that the structure and wording were heavily inspired by the video game series Halo 2, which he played growing up.
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“The speech, the structure of it, was heavily inspired from the video game series ‘Halo 2,’” Pete explained. “So there was some inspiration to it, and I’m not going to say it was, like, all me, but I got it from a really cool video game I used to play as a kid.”
That admission does not diminish the significance of the moment. Pete still had to stand in front of his teammates, find the right words and deliver them at a moment when emotions were already running high.
Thousands of Navajo Nation fans showed their support to Pete
The speech also carried additional weight because of the support Pete received from the Navajo Nation during the game. Thousands of Navajo fans traveled to Arizona to watch him, waving Navajo Nation flags and chanting his name.
Pete said the turnout gave him a firsthand look at the “strength and power” of the Navajo Nation and Native people more broadly.
“It was really special to be appreciated and welcomed and supported and cheered for by the Navajo Nation people, all of Native people in general,” Pete said.
The support reflected how significant Pete’s NFL opportunity had become beyond the football field. As the first Navajo player to sign an NFL contract, his journey represented something much larger for many people watching him.
Pete’s NFL journey continues after Cowboys release
Although Dallas ultimately released Pete during its roster cuts, his NFL journey is not necessarily over. He told PBS that he remains excited about what the future could bring and hopes to continue his career with another team.
For Pete, however, his impact already extends beyond football. He has returned to his former high school to speak with young people, encouraging them to understand how far hard work, dedication and a clear vision can take them.
His Cowboys opportunity made him the first Navajo player to sign an NFL contract. His viral speech then gave him an even larger platform to represent his community.
Now, as Pete searches for his next football opportunity, he is carrying something bigger than a roster spot with him. He is carrying the expectations of young athletes who saw someone from the Navajo Nation reach a place they may once have considered impossible.
